- Date
- October 6, 2011, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Westerly, RI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N177MWCessna 177RG
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111006023612A
- Case key
- 82057
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 failure to maintain airplane control while starting the engine.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he completed the preflight checklist before starting the engine. When he turned the ignition, the airplane started and began to move forward. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane, but it continued forward and initiated a turn to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted another airplane, resulting in substantial damage to the accident airplane's left wing. A postaccident examination revealed no leaks or other anomalies with the brakes or any other preexisting mechanical malfunctions of the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he and his passenger entered the airplane and completed the preflight checklist before starting the engine. He turned the ignition, the airplane started, and began to move forward. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane but it continued forward and initiated a turn to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted another airplane parked nearby which resulted in substantial damage to the accident airplane's left wing. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who completed a post accident examination, the brakes were inspected with no leaks or other anomalies noted and the airplane had no preexisting mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N177MW
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG1134
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 18, 2010
- Departed
- HPN · White Plains, NY
- Destination
- WST · Westerly, RI
- Airport
- WST · Westerly State Airport
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
- 81
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 5, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,671 total · 877 in this make and model · 1,671 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- WST
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 30, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 469 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.