# NTSB ERA23LA094: Cessna 177, N177D, Franklin, VA, December 26, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 26, 2022, 20:35, time zone not recorded - Place: Franklin, VA - Coordinates: 36.702778, -76.892778 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7028&lon=-76.8928&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 106492 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106492/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106492 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA094 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during the initial climb following an aborted precautionary landing. Contributing to the outcome were the inoperative runway lights, which reduced the likelihood that the pilot could successfully land the airplane on the runway at night. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Airport facilities/design: airport lighting](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010/cases.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Airport occurrence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070); cases with it: [Cessna 177B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070/sequence.md?model=2073708), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/070/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: 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 private pilot departed with full fuel tanks for the cross-country flight with a planned fuel stop en route. As the pilot neared the fuel stop airport, the fuel gauges indicated 3/4 capacity remaining, so he elected to continue to his destination airport. When the flight was 38 miles from the destination, with the fuel selector on the right tank position, the engine “started sputtering.” He then moved the fuel selector to the left tank position and turned the airplane towards a diversion airport. He checked the weather and NOTAMs for the diversion airport and noted nothing that concerned him. As he approached the diversion airport, he keyed the airplane’s radio transmitter 5 times and then 7 times on the common traffic advisory frequency to turn on the runway lights, but they did not turn on (the end of civil twilight had occurred about an hour prior). Concerned about the airplane’s fuel level, he landed but did not know how far down the runway he had landed. He described that the approach was “too fast” and the airplane bounced. After touching down, he applied the brakes but realized he would be unable to stop the airplane on the remaining portion of the runway. He added full power, started to climb, and thinking that the airplane had climbed higher than it actually had, he then banked left. The airplane’s left wing then collided with trees substantially damaging it and bringing the airplane to a stop. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that had he known the runway lights were inoperative, he would have diverted to a different airport. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the airplane’s radios were tuned to the correct frequency to activate the runway lights. According to the airport manager the, pilot-controlled lighting system at the airport was normally checked on the 1st day of every month and had been last checked 25 days before the accident. Following the accident, he discovered that they were inoperative. Given this information, it is possible that the pilot could have performed a successful landing had the runway lights been operational. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N177D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N177D), registered now, S/N 17702012, built 1973 (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: 17702012 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 5102 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Barger, Randall G - Registered owner: Barger, Randall G - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 18, 2022 - Departed: ZPH, Zephyrhills, FL - Destination: EYF, Elizabethtown, NC - Airport: FKN, Franklin Regional Airport, runway 9, 4,977 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 17, 2021; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 594 total, 578 in this make and model, 542 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 38 °F, dew point 2 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: FKN, 1 nm away - METAR: FKN 26/2035 30.27 38 2 22 0 0 10.0 CLR ## 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 20221226019079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221226019079A), Dec 26, 2022: Cessna 177B, Franklin, VA, Substantial damage. Aircraft diverted to Franklin municipal airport in Virginia due to low fuel at night. Aircraft landed on runway 09 at a high rate of speed and experienced an… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106492. 15.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 14 pages, 9.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14921951&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1%20Recd%2012%2030%202022_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of NTSB conversations (item 2, PDF, 8 pages, 208 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14954824&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20NTSB%20Conversations_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14954467&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Inspector%20statement%20N177D_Recd%201%203%202023-Rel.pdf - Information from airport manager (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14954738&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Information%20From%20Airport%20Manager-Rel.pdf - Airport historical inspection results (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14955021&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airport%20Historical%20Inspection%20Results-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14954533&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14954174&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fully%20Executed%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form_Redacted-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.