# NTSB ATL05CA006: Cessna 177, N29459, Auburn, AL, October 17, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 17, 2004, 18:58 local (23:58 UTC)
- Place: Auburn, AL
- Coordinates: 32.60889, -85.433891
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6089&lon=-85.4339&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Birmingham FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 60369
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL05CA006
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60369/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05CA006

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention (contributing factor)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload

## Analysis

According to the pilot, while on short final to land on runway 36, he reached up to adjust his glasses and one of the lenses fell out of the frame.  The pilot reported that this event distracted him, and he landed the airplane hard on the nose wheel and collapsed the nose gear. Examination of the nose gear revealed the nose wheel broke away from the strut. The nose gear assembly was bent aft and the firewall as buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies prior to the accident.

## Factual narrative

On October 17, 2004, at 1858 central daylight time, a Cessna 177, N29459, registered to and operated by a private owner, collided with the runway during an attempted landing at Auburn Airport, Alabama. The personal flight was conducted 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 sustained substantial damage and the pilot was uninjured. The flight departed Columbia Airport, Columbia, South Carolina, on October 17, 2004 at 1500.

According to the pilot, while on short final to land on runway 36, he reach up to adjust his eyeglasses and one of the lenses fell out of the frame.  The pilot reported that this event distracted him, and he "hit on the nosewheel"  and collapsed the nose gear. Examination of the nose gear revealed the nose wheel broke away from the strut. The nose gear assembly was bent aft and the firewall as buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies prior to the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N29459](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29459), registered now, S/N 17700901, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 177
- Registry model: [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (registry code 2073704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17700901
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Campbell Robin N
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: CAE, COLUMBIA, SC
- Destination: AUO, AUBURN, AL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: AUO, Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts, runway 36, 5,265 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 13, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 269 total, 81 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: AUO

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20041017024819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041017024819A), Oct 17, 2004: Cessna 177, Auburn, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) While executing a landing at Auburn, AL on October 17, 2004, at approximately 18:58 hours CDT, Mr. Robin campbell, the pilot in command of N29459, a…

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.

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