# NTSB CEN25LA102: Cessna 177, N34284, Iron River, MI, February 24, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 24, 2025, 10:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Iron River, MI - Coordinates: 46.078819, -88.6355 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.0788&lon=-88.6355&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199752 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199752/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199752 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA102 ## Probable cause The airplane’s collision with runway lights during takeoff due to reduced airplane climb performance. Contributing to the accident was the shifting winds during takeoff which likely developed into a tailwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that before takeoff he calculated the airplane weight to be 104 lbs below maximum gross weight, the takeoff distance to be about 985 ft, and estimated the wind to be from 250° at 15 knots gusting to 30 knots. The pilot departed from runway 17 and rotated the airplane for takeoff about 1,250 ft down the 2,000 ft runway. He noted that the airplane did not climb as expected, and he kept the airplane wings level in ground effect, but the airplane drifted left and collided with the runway end lights. The pilot continued the initial climb and realized that the right main landing gear tire had separated from the airplane. He continued to his destination airport and landed on the runway without further incident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Following the accident, the pilot assessed that wind may have shifted to a tailwind resulting in a loss of airplane performance. The closest aviation weather reporting facility was 25 nautical miles from the departure airport which reported a variable wind from 260° to 320° at 14 knots gusting to 24 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34284](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N34284), registered now, S/N 17701749, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177 (B) - 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: 17701749 - Year built: 1972 - Airframe hours: 4472.1 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 12, 2024 - Departed: Y73, Iron River, MI - Destination: KEGV, Eagle River, WI - Airport: Y73, Stambaugh, runway 17, 2,000 × 40 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 24, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,644 total, 954 in this make and model, 1,599 as pilot in command, 1.5 in the last 90 days, 1.5 in the last 30 days, 0.6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 14 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.41 inHg - Observed at: KLNL, 25 nm away - METAR: METAR KLNL 241635Z AUTO 28014G24KT 260V320 10SM SCT048 09/M02 A2941 RMK AO2 T00891023= ## 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 20250224011329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250224011329A), Feb 24, 2025: Cessna 177B, Eagle River, WI, Substantial damage. Flight was from Y73 (stambaugh, MI) to egv (Eagle River, WI)to deliver the aircraft for annual inspection at [privacy data omitted] in Eagle River Wisconsin.… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199752. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18447939&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=cen25la102%20Form%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement - incident report (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 454 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18448692&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N34284%20Incident%20Report-Rel.pdf - Investigative photo (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 375 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18447843&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN25LA102%20pic%201-Rel.pdf - Klnl METAR (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 210 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18448574&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=klnl%20metar-Rel.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.