- Date
- July 26, 2020, 15:05 local (19:05 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N2629VCessna 177RG
- Defining event
- Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200726011429A
- Case key
- 101746
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 control of the airplane during the attempted engine start.
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
The pilot reported that, while preparing to start the engine, he felt stressed and rushed because he was departing later than planned, and the weather forecast along his intended route was forecast to deteriorate as the day progressed. He followed the checklist, though after the accident he was unsure if he had properly set the parking brake or he may have inadvertently disengaged the brake with his leg/knee, which had occurred previously. After the engine did not start on the first attempt, he followed the flooded engine procedure, which included setting the throttle to the ½ position. When the engine started on the second attempt, the airplane began rolling forward. He attempted to stop using the brakes, but his sandals, which were wet, slipped off the rudder pedals. He further stated that “in a panic, I rapidly advanced the throttle instead of retarding it.” The airplane struck a building and sustained substantial damage to the right wing and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2629V
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG0635
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 4,123
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 25, 2020
- Departed
- LAL · Lakeland, FL
- Destination
- EYW · Key West, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- LAL · Lakeland Linder Intl
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 26, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 168 total · 18 in this make and model · 112 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- LAL, 2 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.7 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.