- Date
- February 26, 1989, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Yuba City, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2377YCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890226054429A
- Case key
- 26342
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 supervision by the instructor (CFI) which resulted in a delayed go-around, inadequate airspeed, and a stall/mush into the ground. A poor approach by the student pilot was a contributing factor.
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
Drg a dual instructional flt, the instructor (CFI) simulated a forced landing by reducing the power. The student mnvrd the acft to make an apch to a nearby airstrip. In a statement after the acdnt, the CFI said that 'as the turn to base was started, the student asked if he was going to 'make' it, and I responded in the affirmative. At that point, he (the student) added a small amount of power and I told him he did not have power, as I retarded the throttle and again looked over his shoulder to view the runway. Within seconds, I could feel an accelerated sink rate, and observed the runway disappearing at the top of the side window . . .' The CFI initiated a go-around; however, before the dscnt was arrested, the acft contacted the ground. Subsequently, the horizontal stabilizers, nose gear, prop & wing tips were damaged. There were no rprtd mechanical malfunctions or failures with the acft before the acdnt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2377Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700177
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Fuller, Lester
- Registered owner
- Lester Fuller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 17, 1989 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- MYV · Marysville, CA
- Airport
- PRVT · Vanderford Ranch, runway 36, 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
- 64
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.