- Date
- December 1, 2013, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Richland, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7592VCessna 177RG
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20131201024579A
- Case key
- 88659
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 extend the landing gear prior to landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention and not using a checklist.
Findings · 4
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 student pilot reported that following an uneventful flight, as he entered the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, was notified by another pilot that there was an airplane operating within the traffic pattern with no radio. The student pilot established visual contact with one airplane, however, did not establish visual contact with the airplane operating without a radio until reaching the mid-field point on downwind. The student pilot stated that throughout the approach to landing, he maintained visual contact with the airplane until it would not be a factor. The student pilot subsequently landed the airplane with the landing gear in the retracted position, which resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. The student pilot stated that his attention was diverted between maintaining airspeed and a stable approach to the runway, while maintaining visual contact with the airplane that was not in radio contact. He added that he failed to do his before landing checklist as he normally does at the mid-field point on downwind and each turn in the traffic pattern. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that following an uneventful flight, as he entered the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, was notified by another pilot that there was an airplane operating within the traffic pattern with no radio. The student pilot established visual contact with one airplane, however, did not establish visual contact with the airplane operating without a radio until reaching the mid-field point on downwind. The student pilot stated that throughout the approach to landing, he maintained visual contact with the airplane until it would not be a factor. The student pilot subsequently landed the airplane with the landing gear in the retracted position, which resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. The student pilot stated that his attention was diverted between maintaining airspeed and a stable approach to the runway, while maintaining visual contact with the airplane that was not in radio contact. He added that he failed to do his before landing checklist as he normally does at the mid-field point on downwind and each turn in the traffic pattern. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7592V
- Reported as
- Cessna 177RG (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 177RG0883
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 5,967
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Misener Richard H
- Registered owner
- Misener Richard H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 29, 2013 · 72 hours before
- Departed
- Hermiston, OR
- Destination
- RLD · Richland, WA
- Airport
- RLD · Richland, runway 01, 4,009 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 88 total · 37 in this make and model · 29 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KPSC, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 451 KB 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.