- Date
- March 17, 1988, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tok, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N34603Cessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 4995
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private pilot attempted to take-off at dusk with a left main gear wheel brake that was frozen in the 'on' position. He had unsuccessfully attempted to free the brake prior to TAKE0FF, but felt that he could get the airplane airborne by skidding the tire along the top of the snow and ice covered runway. He subsequently was unable to maintain directional control during the take-off roll and struck a runway edge light with the airplane's stabilator. He completed the flight uneventfully, and did not discover the damage to the stabilator until after he landed. The pilot stated that he should not have attempted to take-off with the brake frozen, and that he possibly could have avoided the runway light if it had been lighted, but it was activated on command via the airplane's radio, and he did not know which frequency to use.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34603
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17701895
- Airframe hours
- 1,778
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard, Robert R.
- Registered owner
- Howard, Robert R
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 5, 1987 · 32 hours before
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 6K8 · Tok, runway 25, 2,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 499 total · 28 in this make and model · 462 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg