- Date
- June 19, 2003, 17:20 local (Jun 20, 2003, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Woodland, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2279YCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20030619012559A
- Case key
- 57273
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
The pilot's premature liftoff and his failure to maintain/obtain airspeed and directional control during takeoff.
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 private pilot reported that he was attempting a short field takeoff from runway 14. He reported that the airplane's acceleration for takeoff was normal, however, shortly after liftoff the airplane settled back on to the runway. The pilot continued the takeoff and the airplane became airborne a second time. The pilot estimated that the airplane's speed was approximately 50 mph when the airplane became airborne the second time. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane yawed to the left and began to settle back to the ground. The pilot reported that the airplane settled approximately 100 feet to the left of the runway. When the airplane contacted terrain a second time, the right main landing gear and nose gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On June 19, 2003, about 1720 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177, N2279Y, sustained substantial damage during takeoff and subsequent runway excursion at the Woodland State Airport, Woodland, Washington. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal/pleasure flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The private pilot and passenger were not injured.
In a written statement dated June 27, the pilot reported that he was attempting a short field takeoff from runway 14. He reported that the airplane's acceleration for takeoff was normal, however, shortly after liftoff the airplane settled back on to the runway. The pilot continued the takeoff and the airplane became airborne a second time. The pilot estimated that the airplane's speed was approximately 50 mph when the airplane became airborne the second time. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane yawed to the left and began to settle back to the ground. The pilot reported that the airplane "...settled (or stalled) 100 feet to the left of the runway facing 45 degrees to the direction of flight." When the airplane contacted terrain a second time, the right main landing gear and nose gear collapsed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2279Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700079
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gunther Kern
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- WA71 · Woodland, WA
- Destination
- WA71 · Woodland, WA
- Airport
- WA71 · Woodland State, runway 14
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
- 74
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 2,673 total · 834 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2279Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.