# Incident 20241002018559I: Cessna 177RG, Hickory, NC, October 2, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 2, 2024, 12:22 local time
- Place: Hickory, NC
- Airport: Hickory Regional
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7411° N, 81.3896° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HICKORY RGNL (HKY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7411&lon=-81.3896&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2052Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2052Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 177RG (registry code 2073709, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (registry code 41593, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177RG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 6,800 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241002018559I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 2 OCTOBER 2024 AT 1622Z (1222 EDT) A CESSNA 177RG LANDED GEAR UP ON RUNWAY 24 AT HICKORY REGIONAL AIRPORT (KHKY) IN HICKORY, NC.  PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE PILOT REPORTED HE EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT EMANATING FROM THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHT SWITCH PANEL.  THE SMOKE SUBSIDED ONCE THE PILOT TURNED THE SWITCHES TO OFF.  ONE PERSON WAS ONBOARD WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A PROPELLER STRIKE AND MINOR FUSELAGE DAMAGE.

THE PILOT STATED THAT ON DEPARTURE FROM AVERY COUNTY AIRPORT (7A8) AT APPROXIMATELY 4,000' HE SMELLED WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS AN ELECTRICAL OVERHEAT.  THE PILOT RAN HIS EMERGENCY ACTION CHECKLIST AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT (7A8).  PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND LANDING GEAR ON FINAL AND CHOSE TO DIVERT TO HICKORY(KHKY) FOR A HIGHER LEVEL OF EMERGENCY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.  THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR WITHOUT SUCCESS AND CONFIRMED WITH LOCAL AIR TRAFFIC AND THE KHKY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT VISIBLE.THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT LANDING GEAR EXTENDED.  THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND THE LANDING GEAR NOT EXTENDING HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IS WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION BEFORE MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS BEGIN.

THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED ONCE MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FOLLOWING INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB DID NOT INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT DUE TO LACK OF DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, THEREFORE NO NTSB NUMBER WAS ADDED AT BLOCK 5.

REFERENCE SAS TASK T-EA68-FY25-0179

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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