- Date
- June 5, 2015, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Clewiston, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N29415Cessna 177
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 27, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Miramar FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150605008749A
- Case key
- 91335
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 improper level off and flare in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and hard landing.
Findings · 3
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 during the landing flare he encountered "localized rough air" and crosswind conditions. On the first landing the airplane touched down hard and began to porpoise. Following the second bounce, the pilot initiated a go-around, and requested his pilot rated passenger, who had more experience in the airplane, to take the flight controls. The pilot rated passenger landed without further incident. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. He reported winds were from a variable direction at 10 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare he encountered "localized rough air" and crosswind conditions. On the first landing the airplane touched down hard and began to porpoise. Following the second bounce, the pilot initiated a go-around, and requested his pilot rated passenger, who had more experience in the airplane, to take the flight controls. The pilot rated passenger landed without further incident. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. He reported winds were from a variable direction at 10 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29415
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700873
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 2015
- Departed
- OBE · Okeechobee, FL
- Destination
- 2IS · Clewiston, FL
- Airport
- 2IS · Airglades, runway 13, 5,901 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 17, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,818 total · 5 in this make and model · 1,818 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 22, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 129 in this make and model · 3,900 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KIMM, 26 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 10, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.