# NTSB SEA98LA025: Cessna 177, N2988X, Thompson Falls, MT, December 18, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 18, 1997, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Thompson Falls, MT
- Coordinates: 47.560245, -115.439224 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5602&lon=-115.4392&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 15, 1999
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 42746
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA98LA025
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42746/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA025

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper remedial action when confronted with a porpoised landing. A factor was his failure to execute a go-around maneuver.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation
  - remedial action - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The student pilot, on his first solo flight, allowed the aircraft to touch down on all three wheels simultaneously, during which a porpoise developed. Four additional nose-down ground impact cycles followed before the aircraft came to a stop. The pilot did not attempt a go-around maneuver.

## Factual narrative

On December 18, 1997, approximately 1030 mountain standard time, a Cessna 177, N2988X, in the process of re-registration, and being flown by a student pilot, was substantially damaged, during a hard landing at Thompson Falls, Montana. The student pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was the student's first supervised solo, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the Thompson Falls airport approximately 1025.

The student pilot reported that he corrected for a momentary left crosswind (gust) and then the aircraft "dropped to the ground touching all three wheels simultaneously." He reported that "the plane bumped up in the air with a slight nose down attitude" and that the "plane stopped after the fifth jump." He further reported that after the first excursion the "(yoke froze)" and that a "(go around was not possible)." He did not explain why he felt he could not execute a go-around maneuver and reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft.

The instructor pilot, who interviewed the student pilot and examined the marks on the runway as well as the aircraft damage, reported that the aircraft porpoised approximately five times during which the propeller impacted the runway.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2988X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2988X), registered now, S/N 17700388, 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 O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17700388
- Airframe hours: 2306
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Schauman, Tor
- Registered owner: De Valley
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 10, 1997, 45 hours before
- Departed: THM
- Airport: THM, Thompson Falls, runway 25, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 21 total, 21 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 28 °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 19971218039739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971218039739A), Dec 18, 1997: Cessna 177, Thompson Falls, MT, Substantial damage. Leveled off too high. Dropped to runway. Bounced and porpoised. Wrinkled fuselage near firewall. (.4)the student pilot, on his first solo flight, allowed the…

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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