- Date
- May 2, 2001, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Maria, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N34168Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 28, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20010502007259A
- Case key
- 52193
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
A stall/mush inadvertently encountered by the pilot-in-command. Failure to maintain adequate airspeed for flight and inadequate remedial action contributed to the accident.
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 airplane struck a pipe, cartwheeled, and came to rest inverted, following a go-around from a simulated forced landing. The pilot reported he had been taking photographs about 1,000 feet above ground level, then decided to practice engine out patterns. During the go-around from the second pattern he added power, retracted the flaps to 20 degrees, and was unable to prevent contact with the ground. The pilot further stated that it "felt like the elevator stalled."
Factual narrative
On May 2, 2001, at 1320 hours Pacific daylight saving time, a Cessna 177B, N34168, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground while maneuvering approximately 3 miles east of Santa Maria Airport, Santa Maria, California. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by the private pilot/owner who received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed from Santa Maria Airport approximately 1250.
The pilot reported he had been taking photographs about 1,000 feet above ground level, then decided to practice engine out patterns. During the go-around from the second pattern he added power, retracted the flaps to 20 degrees, and was unable to prevent contact with the ground. The pilot further stated that it "felt like the elevator stalled." The airplane struck a pipe, cartwheeled, and came to rest inverted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34168
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17701686
- Airframe hours
- 4,303
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1F6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stanley D Voris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2000 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- SMX · Santa Maria
- Destination
- Santa Maria, CA
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
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 665 total · 217 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- SMX, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.