20030423014839I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 177RG · Raleigh-Durham, NC · April 23, 2003

Date: April 23, 2003 · 20:40 local
Place: Raleigh-Durham, NC
Airport: Raleigh-Durham International
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N52668
Reported as: Cessna 177RG
Reported engine: Continental IO360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 188 total88 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft departed jnx for a local flight. While going through the landing procedures checklist the pilot was not able to establish a safe landing gear down indication. A "fly-by" was performed and confirmed that the main landing gear was extended but the nose gear was still up and the gear doors closed. Raleigh approach was notified and the pilot elected to declare an emergency. A fly-by was conducted at rdu and again confirmed that the nose gear was in the up and stowed position. After getting established on short final the pilot secured the engine and fuel. The pilot held the nose of the aircraft off for as long as possible and then allowed it to settle onto the runway. After coming to a complete stop, the pilot safely egressed the aircraft. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and did not suffer any injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED JNX FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WHILE GOING THROUGH THE LANDING PROCEDURES CHECKLIST THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO ESTABLISH A SAFE LANDING GEAR DOWN INDICATION. A "FLY-BY" WAS PERFORMED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED BUT THE NOSE GEAR WAS STILL UP AND THE GEAR DOORS CLOSED. RALEIGH APPROACH WAS NOTIFIED AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. A FLY-BY WAS CONDUCTED AT RDU AND AGAIN CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS IN THE UP AND STOWED POSITION. AFTER GETTING ESTABLISHED ON SHORT FINAL THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE AND FUEL. THE PILOT HELD THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT OFF FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND THEN ALLOWED IT TO SETTLE ONTO THE RUNWAY. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE PILOT SAFELY EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES.