# NTSB CEN13CA153: Cessna 177RG, N88NG, Herington, KS, February 8, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 8, 2013, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Herington, KS - Coordinates: 38.694721, -96.807777 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6947&lon=-96.8078&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86182 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13CA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86182/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86182 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA153 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/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 177RG, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177RG, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2073709), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and two passengers were about 2 hours into a cross-country flight when they decided to land for a rest stop. The pilot reported that he saw some breaks in the clouds below him, so he descended to land at a nearby airport. When the pilot saw the runway, he realized that he was too close to land, so he circled for a better approach. The pilot stated that while turning onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he failed to maintain airspeed and stalled the airplane. The airplane impacted a muddy wheat field with the landing gear retracted and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and fuselage. ## Factual narrative The pilot and two passengers were on a cross-country flight; about two hours into the flight they decided to land for a rest stop. The pilot reported that he saw some breaks in the clouds below him, so he descended to land at a nearby airport. When the pilot saw the runway, he was too close to land, so he circled to the right for a better approach. The pilot stated that while turning onto the downwind leg he failed to keep enough airspeed and stalled the airplane. He added that he didn’t have time to extend the landing gear. The airplane impacted a muddy wheat field and came to rest in an upright position. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and fuselage, aft of the door posts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N88NG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N88NG), registered now, S/N 177RG1223, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177RG - Registry model: [Cessna 177RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (registry code 2073709) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6d) (registry code 41593, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 177RG1223 - Airframe hours: 4446.3 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6D 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 5, 2012 - Departed: 8V3, Parkston, SD - Destination: KHRU, Herington, KS - Airport: KHRU, Herington Reginal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 18, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 1,212 total, 75 in this make and model, 971 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 4 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 600 ft overcast - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.31 inHg - Observed at: KFRI, 20 nm away ## 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 20130208003799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130208003799A), Feb 8, 2013: Cessna 177RG, Herrington, KS, Substantial damage. The pilot reported he had descended through a hole in the cloud layer and was on a visual approach when he realized the landing gear had not been extended.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86182. 2.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389136&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389137&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.