- Date
- June 27, 2019, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pleasanton, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N30257Cessna 177
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- FAA report
- 20190627008109A
- Case key
- 99737
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 loss of yaw control during takeoff with a right quartering headwind in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a 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
The pilot reported that, shortly after rotation from a private, grass runway, a wind gust pushed the airplane to the left. The airplane continued left, the left wing struck a tree, and the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, shortly after rotation from a private grass runway, "a gust of wind pushed" the airplane to the left. The airplane continued left, exited the runway, the left wing struck a tree and the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that, about the time of takeoff, the wind was from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 19 knots. The airplane departed to the southeast.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30257
- Reported as
- Cessna 177 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17701154
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 3,998.45
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-62D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 14, 2018
- Departed
- PVT · Pleasanton, KS
- Airport
- PVT · Pvt, runway 17, 2,400 × 80 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 4, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,841 total · 100 in this make and model · 3,841 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Observed at
- KLRY, 31 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 796 KB 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.