Cessna 177-RG N8015G

Summary

On 28 April 2003 at about 16:35 local time, a Cessna 177-RG registered N8015G was involved in an accident near Clearwater, Florida, United States. 2 people were 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

28 April 2003 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Clearwater, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

St. Petersburg/Clearwater Intl (PIE)

Coordinates

27.9106, -82.6872

Aircraft

Cessna 177-RG

Registration

N8015G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Key West → Clearwater

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA03LA101

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll resulting in the failure and separation of the right main landing gear, partial collapse of the nose landing gear, and substantial damage to the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that during the landing roll, approximately 100 to 200 feet down the runway, the nose suddenly dropped. He applied back-pressure to the yoke, began braking and intentionally steered towards the grass on the left side of the runway where the right main gear separated. He further stated that he might have used "too much left rudder." The passenger seated in the right front seat stated that during the rollout, the right wing tipped and saw the pilot was "very busy with the yoke." The airplane was going left towards the grass and started skidding sideways coming to a sudden stop. The FAA inspector that examined the wreckage stated the break in the right landing gear was consistent with a ductile break, a high stress fracture. The surface area of the break did not show any fatigue or markings associated with a fatigue fracture. The pilot's total time in make and model was 7.2 hour at the time of the accident. The Cessna 177RG Owners Manual states, "When landing in a strong crosswind, use the minimum flap setting required for the field length." The winds were 070 at 9 knots and the pilot landed on runway 17L with full flaps. A photo of the accident airplane after the accident show the lower section of right main landing gear missing, the nose gear bent towards the left, and the markings on the runway are consistent with the airplane skidding sideways in a left direction on the left side of the runway center line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.