# NTSB NYC95LA120: Cessna 177B, N621PW, Allentown, PA, May 24, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 23, 1995, 20:45 local (May 24, 1995, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Allentown, PA - Coordinates: 40.590808, -75.470283 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5908&lon=-75.4703&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38968 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38968/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA120 ## Probable cause the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard, bounced landing and impact with the runway. A factor in this accident was an improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The airplane bounced during a hard land, damaging the nose wheel, propeller,and engine firewall. According to the pilot, '...I was on short final to runway 24 and set up for the approach to land. When above the runway, and in the landing configuration, the aircraft touched down on the main wheels first, then ballooned (porpoised) back up into the air, and came back down on the nose wheel...' ## Factual narrative On May 23, 1995, about 2045 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N621PW, was substantially damaged during the landing at the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight had departed the Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport at 2025, and was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he touched down on runway 24 on the main wheels first. He then stated: ...the aircraft touched then ballooned (porpoised) back up into the air and came back down on the nose wheel settling on the runway. I contacted the tower and requested to taxi to a hanger to check the airplane damage after the hard landing...after taxiing to the hanger I discovered the damage.... Runway 24 at ABE Airport was 7,600 feet long and 150 feet wide. According to the pilot, the winds at the time of the accident were from 190 degrees at 9 knots, and no gusts. At the time of the accident, the pilot's total flight time was 209.0 hours, of which 123.4 hours were in this make and model airplane. The pilot wrote on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he had 101 hours in this make and model airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N621PW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N621PW), registered now, S/N 17702461, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 177B - Registry model: [Cessna 177B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-177b) (registry code 2073708) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17702461 - Airframe hours: 2873 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Skyten Flying Club Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 9, 1995, 45 hours before - Departed: 1N9, PA - Destination: ABE - Airport: ABE, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easto, runway 24, 7,600 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; private; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 209 total, 123 in this make and model, 139 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 190° at 9 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19950523013099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950523013099A), May 23, 1995: Cessna 177B, Allentown, PA, Substantial damage. Ballooned on landing. Came back down nose wheel first and porpoised. 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.