- Date
- July 19, 2014, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Falmouth, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N18509Cessna 177B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 2, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140719011709A
- Case key
- 89755
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 misjudgment of speed and distance on final approach resulting in a touchdown near the departure end of the runway, a runway excursion, and collision with trees.
Findings · 5
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 elected to conduct a landing on runway 25 at his destination airport. He stated that the windsock indicated a crosswind, that did not favor either runway. The pilot flew the approach to landing at a speed of 65-75 knots. The pilot realized right before touchdown that he was going to land long and go off the end of the runway. After touching down the airplane veered to the right and struck a runway light then subsequently impacted trees that were located approximately 300 feet off the end of the runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings. According to a witness who resided next to the airport he advised the pilot, that he landed with a tailwind and should have used runway 7. Approximately 5 minutes after the accident occurred, an Automated Weather Observing System located 3 miles north of the accident site also reported winds of 080 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he elected to conduct a landing on runway 25 at his destination airport. He stated that the windsock indicated a crosswind, that did not favor either runway. The pilot flew the approach to landing at a speed of 65-75 knots. The pilot realized right before touchdown that he was going to land long and go off the end of the runway. After touching down the airplane veered to the right and struck a runway light then subsequently impacted trees that were located approximately 300 feet off the end of the runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings. According to a witness who resided next to the airport he advised the pilot, that he landed with a tailwind and should have used runway 7. Approximately 5 minutes after the accident occurred, an Automated Weather Observing System located 3 miles north of the accident site also reported winds of 080 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18509
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17702538
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 1,694
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 11, 2014
- Departed
- 5B6 · Falmouth, MA
- Destination
- 5B6 · Falmouth, MA
- Airport
- 5B6 · Falmouth Airpark, runway 25, 2,298 × 40 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- March 23, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 223 total · 34 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- FMH, 3 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB 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.