- Date
- September 5, 2011, 07:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Roundup, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8772XCessna 182D
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110905021409A
- Case key
- 81745
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 failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle during the landing flare.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that prior to landing on a dirt road he overflew the area, noting a group of cows nearby before entering a left-hand pattern for his intended landing area. During the landing flare, the pilot observed a cow approaching the flight path of the airplane from his left and attempted to maneuver the airplane to avoid a collision. Subsequently, the left main landing gear struck the cow and the airplane immediately veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to the left, landed hard, bounced, and settled back onto the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed structural damage to the left elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and engine firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to landing on a dirt road; he overflew the area, noting a group of cows nearby prior to entering a left-hand pattern for his intended landing area. During the landing flare, the pilot observed a cow approaching the flight path of the airplane from his left to right and attempted to maneuver the airplane to avoid a collision. Subsequently, the left main landing gear struck the cow and the airplane immediately veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to the left, landed hard, bounced, and settled back onto the ground. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed structural damage to the left elevator, horizontal stabilizer, and engine firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8772X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18253172
- Airframe hours
- 4,208
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Liedtka Mark T
- Registered owner
- Liedtka Mark T
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 21, 2011 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- Roundup, MT
- Destination
- Roundup, MT
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 200 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 22, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.