# NTSB NYC02LA137: Cessna 177, N29321, Millville, NJ, July 5, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 4, 2002, 21:45 local (Jul 5, 2002, 01:45 UTC) - Place: Millville, NJ - Coordinates: 39.367778, -75.072219 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3678&lon=-75.0722&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Inspector - NTSB case key (mKey): 55184 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02LA137 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55184/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55184 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA137 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper bounced landing recovery. A factor was the dark night conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - aborted - object - runway light ## Analysis The pilot reported that during a night landing the airplane bounced, drifted left, and bounced again. On the second bounce, the horizontal stabilator of the airplane struck runway lights. The pilot added power, aborted the landing, and the airplane became airborne. The pilot returned for a landing without further incident. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot had completed 1 hour of night flight with 3 landing in the preceding 90 days. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2002, about 2145 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177, N29321, was substantially damaged during a bounced landing at Millville Municipal Airport, Millville, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that he had departed about an hour earlier and had been flying locally. Upon his return to the airport, he positioned the airplane for a landing on runway 10. The pilot further stated: "...I was high and slow and bounced on the runway and bounced a second time, this time hitting a runway lighting fixture. After the second bounce, I began a go-around procedure, but had sustained damage to the elevator. I continued around the field and landed...." The pilot reported that the left outboard edge of the horizontal stabilator had struck the light. The stabilator had pivoted laterally, and the inboard portion of the right side had a compression buckle. According to an inspector from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division, two runway lights on the left side of runway 10, about 1,600 to 1,700 feet from the approach end of the runway, in the vicinity of taxiway CHARLIE, were damaged. Both the 2054, and 2154 weather observations at Millville Airport reported the winds were calm. According to the pilot's logbook, in the preceding 6 months, he had logged two night flights. One flight was on March 1, 2002, with a duration of 2.6 hours, including 1.3 hours at night, with one night landing. The other flight was on June 5, 2002, for a total duration of 1.4 hours, including 1.0 hour at night with 3 night landings. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented), the pilot wrote: "More night flying and landings...." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N29321](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29321), registered now, S/N 17700811, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 177 - Registry model: [Cessna 177](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177) (registry code 2073704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17700811 - Airframe hours: 2742.83 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 2, 2002, 43 hours before - Departed: MVY, MIllville, NJ - Destination: MVY, MIllville, NJ - Airport: MIV, Millville Municipal Airport, runway 10, 6,002 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 22, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 810 total, 163 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: MIV ## 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 20020704017719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020704017719A), Jul 4, 2002: Cessna 177, Millville, NJ, No damage. (-23) After hard landing a/c bounced and went off left side of runway, impacted runway light damaging outboard edge of horizontal stabilizer. Pilot made a go… ## Other investigations on N29321 (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX80DUG18](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX80DUG18), Jan 18, 1980: Cessna 177 (N29321), Upland, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 4, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55184. 394 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 307 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460694&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460695&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Summary of Telephone Interview (item 3, .PDF, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summary%20of%20Telephone%20Interview-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.