# Incident 20260518007409I: Cessna 177RG, Statesville, NC, May 18, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 18, 2026, 19:29 local time
- Place: Statesville, NC
- Airport: Statesville Regional
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7649° N, 80.9525° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7649&lon=-80.9525&mi=10
- Aircraft: N177BT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N177BT) (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: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,668 total, 2,977 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA213) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260518007409I

## Narrative

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

ON 5/18/2026, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KNOXVILLE, TN (KTYS) ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH A SLIGHT TAILWIND. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:32 PM EDT, THE FLIGHT PLAN WAS CANCELED AS THE DESTINATION (KSVH) WAS IN SIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 28.

WHILE MANEUVERING TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, MULTIPLE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE MADE ANNOUNCING THE AIRCRAFT’S POSITION AND INTENTION TO ENTER A STRAIGHT-IN FOR THE DOWNWIND LEG. DURING THIS APPROACH, ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AT KSVH ANNOUNCED THEY WERE "ON THE ROLL" FROM RUNWAY 28. THE PIC OF N177BT IDENTIFIED THE DEPARTING TRAFFIC VISUALLY. THE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY EXECUTED A LEFT TURN (CROSSWIND) IN FRONT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET BELOW OUR ALTITUDE. THE PIC OF N177BT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRAFFIC AND STATED INTENT TO FOLLOW.

DURING THIS SEQUENCE, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY STRAIGHT AHEAD RATHER THAN TURNING CROSSWIND. UPON INQUIRY BY N177BT REGARDING THEIR INTENTIONS, THE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT STATED THEY WOULD REMAIN STRAIGHT OUT BEFORE TURNING BASE.

THE PIC OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BECAME SIGNIFICANTLY DISTRACTED BY THE UNCONVENTIONAL FLIGHT PATH AND THE ONGOING COORDINATION REQUIRED WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. CONSEQUENTLY, THE PIC FAILED TO EXECUTE THE GUMPS (GAS, UNDERCARRIAGE, MIXTURE, PROPELLER, SEATBELTS) LANDING CHECKLIST PRIOR TO FINAL APPROACH. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:38 PM EDT, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 28 WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.

THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RUNWAY. ONCE LIFTED, THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED NORMALLY, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO A HANGAR. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. ASSOCIATED TASK NUMBER IN SAS IS T-EA68-FY26-1625

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA26LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA213), May 18, 2026: Cessna 177RG (N177BT), Statesville, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing.

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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