GAA19CA470

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 177 · Placerville, CA · July 30, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 30, 2019, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
Place
Placerville, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N177CWCessna 177
Defining event
Landing: Abnormal runway contact
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 2, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190730024309A
Case key
99973

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 177: 20 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: angle of attackAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 177: 5 casesAll aircraft: 990 casesProbable cause

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 landing, the airplane bounced, and he chose to go around. He stated that he did not recall the airspeed after he applied full power and retracted the flaps to 10° during the initial climb. Subsequently, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and impacted terrain. A witness at the airport reported that the airplane was operating under full power at a high angle of attack. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. 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, while landing, the airplane bounced, and he elected to go-around. After applying full power and retracting the flap to 10° during the initial climb, he did not recall the airspeed. Subsequently, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A witness at the airport, reported that, "his angle of attack was so high, there was no way it was going to fly. It was full power and looked like full aft yoke." The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 240° at 4 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 23.

Aircraft

Registration
N177CW
Reported as
Cessna 177 (Undesignat)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17700855
Engine
reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Departed
PVF · Placerville, CA
Destination
PVF · Placerville, CA
Airport
PVF · Placerville, runway 23, 3,910 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
None

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
71
Injuries
None
Certificates
Private, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane, Helicopter
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 13, 2019
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
2,852 total · 0.5 in this make and model · 1,476 as pilot in command · 6.9 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
KPVF

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.