Cessna 177 N2949X

Summary

On 14 August 2001 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N2949X was involved in an accident near South Haven, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 August 2001 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

South Haven, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

South Haven Area Regional (0D1)

Coordinates

42.3995, -86.2692

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N2949X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benton Harbor → South Haven

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA289

Nobody was injured.

The pilot not maintaining aircraft control during the landing. Factors to the accident were the pilot not performing a go-around and the ditch.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing, at approximately five feet above the ground, there was a "strong crosswind gust." The pilot reported that after he encountered the gust of wind he, "... should have applied full power and initiated a go-around." The pilot stated that the airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a ditch. A witness to the accident reported that the accident airplane was "unstable" during the landing approach. The witness stated that after the airplane touchdown it began to bounce. The witness reported that after the third bounce the pilot lost control of the airplane, the airplane departed the prepared runway surface and impacted the ditch. The witness stated that the wind velocity at the time of the accident was approximately, "... 7 to 8 knots, gust inbetween [in between]." At 1553 a weather observation station located 15 nautical miles to the southwest reported the wind direction and speed as 350 degrees magnetic at 8 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.