# NTSB LAX83LA417: Cessna C-177RG, N1845Q, Sedona, AZ, August 30, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 30, 1983, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place: Sedona, AZ
- Location: 34.8486° N, 111.7884° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SEDONA (SEZ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8486&lon=-111.7884&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 23840
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX83LA417
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/23840/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX83LA417

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, landing
  - planned approach - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - aborted landing - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - raising of flaps - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of recent experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing

## Analysis

THE PLT STATED THAT INSTEAD OF USING THE CUSTOMARY 80 KT APPROACH SPEED HE USED 110 KTS WITH 30 DEG OF FLAPS. ON SHORT FINAL HE WAS STILL HIGH BUT DECIDED TO LAND ANYWAY. HE FORCED THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY & THE ACFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE. UNABLETO RECOVER FROM THE PORPOISING, HE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND, INADVERTENTLY RETRACTING THE FLAPS TO 0 DEG INSTEAD OF 10 DEG. THE ACFT MUSHED INTO BRUSH IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PLT LATER STATED HE HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE LANDING ON ARPTS ATOP MESAS, & HAD NOT PRACTICED GO-AROUND PROCEDURES SINCE OBTAINING HIS CERTIFICATE ALMOST TWO YEARS BEFORE. RWY 3 HAS A 1.9% UPWARD SLOPE. ACCORDING TO ARPT PERSONNEL, BECAUSE OF THIS RWY'S SLOPE, IT IS GENERALLY USED EVEN WHEN SLIGHT TAILWIND CONDITIONS EXIST.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1845Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1845Q-1984-08-31), registration cancelled 1984-08-31, S/N 177RG0245 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA C-177RG
- Registry model: [Cessna 177RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177rg) (registry code 2073709) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 177RG0245
- Airframe hours: 1216
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Drennan A. Clark
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 16, 1982, 51 hours before
- Departed: 004, CARSON CITY, NV
- Airport: SEZ, Sedona, runway 3, 5,135 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 124 total, 124 in this make and model, 92 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 135° at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830830045449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830830045449A), Aug 30, 1983: Cessna 177RG, Sedona, AZ, Substantial damage. Too high and fast. Drove aircraft onto runway porpoised then stalled on a nose high attempt to make a go around.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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