- Date
- February 14, 2004, 17:24 local (22:24 UTC)
- Place
- Sturgis, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3468TCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040214003499A
- Case key
- 58808
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's inadvertent raising of flaps resulting in a loss of lift and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a dragging of the wing.
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 sustained substantial damage on impact with a runway during an attempted go-around. The pilot reported that on his third practice landing, at approximately 5-10 feet above ground level, he was aligned just left of the center of the runway with the right wing tip slightly down, when he unexpectedly experienced a small gust of wind. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around by applying full power and retrimming the airplane. The airplane momentarily began to gain altitude but the pilot mistakenly retracted all the flaps. The airplane settled back to the ground and the right wing tip impacted the runway. The pilot stated that he over corrected causing the left wing tip to impact the runway. The airplane exited the runway coming to a full-stop in snow to the east side of the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 2004, about 1724 eastern standard time, a Cessna 177, N3468T, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during an attempted go-around from runway 18 (5,700 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at Kirsch Municipal Airport (IRS), near Sturgis, Michigan. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight originated at IRS about 1630.
The pilot stated that he had performed two crosswind landings successfully. He reported:
On the [third] landing at [approximately] 5-10 [feet above ground
level] I was set up good with right wing tip slightly down, just to
the left of centerline [approximately] 3-4 [feet], when I
experienced a small gust. I then attempted a go around, I applied
full power, retrimmed and as the plane begin to lift I then
mistakenly retracted all flaps. I was forced back down and the
right wing tip hit the runway first then I over corrected and the
left wing tip hit putting me in the snow on the east side of
runway 18.
At 1735, the recorded weather at the Branch County Memorial Airport (OEB), approximately 19 nautical miles northeast of the accident airport, near Coldwater, Michigan, was: Wind 250 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition overcast 4,300 feet; temperature -1 degree C; dew point -6 C; altimeter 29.99 inches of mercury.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction failures. The pilot stated, "I should have only retracted partial flaps 'after' I was clear of the ground."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3468T
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1770768
- Airframe hours
- 5,227.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael John Unternahrer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 24, 2003 · 27.7 hours before
- Departed
- IRS · Sturgis, MI
- Destination
- IRS · Sturgis, MI
- Airport
- IRS · Kirsch Muni, runway 18, 5,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 31, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 134 total · 45 in this make and model · 134 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- OEB, 19 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.