- Date
- August 12, 1997, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Louisville, KY
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2827XCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970812021769A
- Case key
- 28224
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
Inadequate compensation for wind conditions by the pilot.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had completed two touch and go landings successfully to runway 14. During a third touch and go landing, the airplane touched down on the left side of the runway. The pilot stated that he attempted to perform a go-around; however, a cross wind caught the airplane and pushed it to the left side of the runway. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with trees and a fence. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 9 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1997, at 0950 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177, N2827X, was substantially damaged when it collided with a tree during landing at the Bowman Field Airport, Louisville, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local, personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot was practicing touch and go landings on runway 6. He had successfully completed one touch and go landing, when the tower switched to runway 14. He said he completed two landings on runway 14, and on the third landing the airplane touched down hard. It then bounced about 100 feet into the air, veered off the left side of the runway onto the grass, then struck a tree and a fence.
The pilot said he attempted to make a go-around, but a crosswind caught the airplane and pushed him to the left side of the runway. He reported over 1,150 hours of total flight experience including 25 hours in make and model. He also reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or the engine.
A witness, at the end of runway 14 said that the tower cleared him into position and hold. He taxied out onto the runway, and lined up with the centerline after the accident airplane had passed by. He noticed that the accident airplane touched down on runway 14 off to the left edge of the runway then veered off across runway 24.
The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 9 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2827X
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700227
- Airframe hours
- 2,599
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Glenn E Reed
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 11, 1997 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- LOU · KY
- Airport
- LOU · Bowman Field, runway 14, 3,539 × 80 ft, asphalt
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,150 total · 25 in this make and model · 1,150 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LOU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2827X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.