# NTSB CEN09CA381: Cessna 177B, N34508, Elyria, OH, June 23, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 23, 2009, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: Elyria, OH
- Coordinates: 41.331665, -82.10028 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3317&lon=-82.1003&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Cleveland FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74120
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09CA381
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74120/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74120
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA381

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and adequate airspeed during the aborted landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: yaw control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 149 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062024/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The accident occurred during the student pilot's second landing on her first solo flight. She stated that the airplane began to porpoise immediately after the nose landing gear touched down. The airplane completed several porpoise cycles before she decided to abort the landing. After increasing engine power and becoming airborne, the airplane began to veer left toward some trees situated alongside the runway. To correct for the left veer, she applied right rudder and, in an attempt to decrease drag, reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. The airplane stalled during a right turn, about 20 to 30 feet above the ground, and entered a nose-down attitude. She was able to level the airplane before it landed hard on all three landing gear off the left side of the runway. The engine firewall and fuselage were substantially damaged during the event. The student pilot stated that asymmetric loading of the propeller (P-Factor) caused the airplane to veer left after she increased engine power for the aborted landing. She noted that she had not received flight instruction demonstrating the airplane's flight characteristics while in ground effect at airspeeds at or near stall speed.

## Factual narrative

The accident occurred during the student pilot's second landing on her first solo flight. She stated that the airplane began to porpoise immediately after the nose landing gear touched down. The airplane completed several porpoise cycles before she decided to abort the landing. After increasing engine power and becoming airborne, the airplane began to veer left toward some trees situated alongside the runway. To correct for the left veer, she applied right rudder and, in an attempt to decrease drag, reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. The airplane stalled during a right turn, about 20 to 30 feet above the ground, and entered a nose-down attitude. She was able to level the airplane before it landed hard on all three landing gear off the left side of the runway. The engine firewall and fuselage were substantially damaged during the event. The student pilot stated that asymmetric loading of the propeller (P-Factor) caused the airplane to veer left after she increased engine power for the aborted landing. She noted that she had not received flight instruction demonstrating the airplane's flight characteristics while in ground effect at airspeeds at or near stall speed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N34508](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N34508-2010-02-10), registration cancelled 2010-02-10, S/N 17701847, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B
- Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17701847
- Airframe hours: 1791
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2008
- Departed: 1G1, Elyria, OH
- Destination: 1G1, Elyria, OH
- Airport: 1G1, Elyria Airport, runway 27, 3,053 × 48 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 46; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 28 total, 28 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KLPR, 4 nm away

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74120. 1.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF

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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