Cessna 177 N3433T

Summary

On 31 January 2000 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N3433T was involved in an accident near Snohomish, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 January 2000 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Snohomish, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Harvey Field (S43)

Coordinates

47.9404, -121.9997

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N3433T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA041

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a go-around, then attempt to stop on the wet grass. Factors include variable winds, the pilot's inadequate compensation for the winds conditions, his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, wet grass along the side of the runway, and a residence near the edge of the runway surface.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on short-final to a full-stop landing, the wind shifted and the aircraft's rate of descent increased. The pilot corrected with partial power, but did not initiate the landing flare soon enough to keep the aircraft from hitting the runway hard enough to bounce back into the air. After ballooning back into the air, the aircraft started drifting sideways and touched down in an open grassy area alongside the runway. Although the power was at idle at that point, and the pilot had ample room to bring the aircraft to a stop on the grass, he elected to abort the landing. After adding power and trying to get the aircraft to lift off using two different flap settings, the pilot elected to abort the go-around because he thought he might not clear obstacles ahead. During his attempt to stop the aircraft on the wet grass, it slid into a residence just off to the side of the southeast end of the runway. After impacting the house, both the residence and the aircraft caught on fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.