- Date
- April 29, 2002, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Locust Grove, GA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2809XCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020429008119A
- Case key
- 54617
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot improper flare during an aborted takeoff, followed by an subsequent hard landing.
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 airplane impacted the runway during an aborted takeoff. According to the pilot, during the takeoff, he experienced gusty wind conditions and decided to abort the take-off. The airplane landed hard on the runway surface, and was damaged.
Factual narrative
On April 29, 2002, at 1315 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177, N2809X, registered to a private pilot, impacted the runway during an aborted take off at Mallards Landing, Locust Grove, Georgia. The personal flight was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged; the private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Mallards Landing, Locust Grove, Georgia, at 1300.
According to the pilot, during his take off, he experienced gusty wind conditions and turbulence that required more than the usual amount of airplane control to maintain attitude and heading. As he transitioned to a steady climb he encountered more gust. The pilot noticed the airspeed dropped and decided to abort the take-off. The pilot stated that, during the landing phase of the aborted takeoff, he touched down hard on the runway.
Examination of the airplane revealed, that the nose wheel strut was fully compressed. The firewall and fuselage aft to the door hinge were buckled. The left main landing gear strut was bent upward and aft. The wreckage examination failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. The pilot did not report mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2809X
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700209
- Airframe hours
- 2,555
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jim J. Guckian
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2002 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- GA04 · Locust Grove, GA
- Airport
- GA04 · Mallards Landing, runway 25, 2,800 × 150 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 570 total · 235 in this make and model · 496 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- ATL
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 308 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2809X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.