Cessna 177 N34603

Summary

On 17 March 1988 at about 23:00 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N34603, operated by Howard, Robert R., was involved in an accident near Tok, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

17 March 1988 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tok, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Tok (6K8)

Coordinates

63.1803, -143.1001

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N34603

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Howard, Robert R.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC88LA041

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE-OFF AT DUSK WITH A LEFT MAIN GEAR WHEEL BRAKE THAT WAS FROZEN IN THE 'ON' POSITION. HE HAD UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE BRAKE PRIOR TO TAKE0FF, BUT FELT THAT HE COULD GET THE AIRPLANE AIRBORNE BY SKIDDING THE TIRE ALONG THE TOP OF THE SNOW AND ICE COVERED RUNWAY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AND STRUCK A RUNWAY EDGE LIGHT WITH THE AIRPLANE'S STABILATOR. HE COMPLETED THE FLIGHT UNEVENTFULLY, AND DID NOT DISCOVER THE DAMAGE TO THE STABILATOR UNTIL AFTER HE LANDED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE-OFF WITH THE BRAKE FROZEN, AND THAT HE POSSIBLY COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE RUNWAY LIGHT IF IT HAD BEEN LIGHTED, BUT IT WAS ACTIVATED ON COMMAND VIA THE AIRPLANE'S RADIO, AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHICH FREQUENCY TO USE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.