- Date
- August 13, 2014, 11:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Pine Bluffs, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2830XCessna 177
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Case key
- 89871
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 inadequate flare and failure to maintain aircraft control while landing.
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 during the landing flare he experienced what he believed to be wind shear or a dust devil. Just before the airplane touched down it lifted about 20 to 40 feet when the wind suddenly shifted to a tailwind and the airplane stalled. The pilot stated that the right wing dropped and the airplane entered an approximate 45 to 60 degree angle of bank. The pilot corrected the bank angle and leveled the wings but failed to apply full power to completely recover from the stall. The airplane subsequently impacted the runway nose down, bounced, then settled to the runway. The firewall and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failures with the airplane that would precluded normal operation. .
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare he experienced what he believed to be wind shear or a dust devil. Just before the airplane touched down it lifted about 20 to 40 feet when the wind suddenly shifted to a tailwind and the airplane stalled. The pilot stated that the right wing dropped and the airplane entered an approximate 45 to 60 degree angle of bank. The pilot corrected the bank angle and leveled the wings but failed to apply full power to completely recover from the stall. The airplane subsequently impacted the runway nose down, bounced, then settled to the runway. The firewall and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failures with the airplane that would precluded normal operation. .
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2830X
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700230
- Built
- 1967
- Airframe hours
- 2,757.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E20, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2014
- Departed
- GCC · Gillette, WY
- Destination
- 82V · Pine Bluffs, WY
- Airport
- 82V · Pine Bluffs Muni, runway 26, 5,331 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 4, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 109 total · 9 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.
Other investigations on N2830X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.