- Date
- September 21, 2015, 06:58 local (12:58 UTC)
- Place
- Aztec, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1875QCessna 177RG
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report December 17, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Albuquerque FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20150921017589A
- Case key
- 92239
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 directional control during an aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with shrubs.
Findings · 4
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 roll he was "blinded by the sunrise coming straight down the runway." Unable to see, the pilot applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane departed the runway to the left and impacted shrubs. The pilot reduced power to idle and stopped the airplane after impacting the shrubs. The fuselage and stabilator sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll he was "blinded by the sunrise coming straight down the runway." Unable to see, the pilot applied power to abort the landing, but the airplane departed the runway to the left and impacted shrubs. The pilot reduced power to idle and stopped the airplane after impacting the shrubs. The fuselage and stabilator sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1875Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG0275
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 2,140
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 2015
- Departed
- 1V0 · Navajo Dam, NM
- Destination
- N19 · Aztec, NM
- Airport
- N19 · Aztec Muni, runway 8, 4,314 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,192 total · 1,063 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- 70° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KFMN, 11 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.