Cessna 177B N177GW

Summary

On 29 May 2024 at about 21:26 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N177GW was involved in an accident near Forest Lake, Minnesota, 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

29 May 2024 at 21:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Forest Lake (25D)

Coordinates

45.2487, -92.9945

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N177GW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anoka → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA381

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action and failure to maintain aircraft control during the simulated forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the flight instructor, he was demonstrating a power-off 180° simulated forced landing to the runway. Following a smooth landing, the airplane drifted to the right onto the grass. The right wheel was in the grass, and the airplane veered hard right towards a ditch. During the attempt to regain directional control, the airplane impacted a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) light. The flight instructor reported that he thought the pilot receiving instruction may have been on the flight controls during the attempted recovery. The flight instructor taxied the airplane to the parking area. According to the pilot receiving instruction, he and the flight instructor were practicing a power-off landing to the runway. The pilot reported that as the airplane neared the runway, he felt they were not at the right angle or approach to make a successful landing. The flight instructor advised the pilot to continue the landing. About 50 to 75 ft above the ground, the pilot did not think he could make the landing and transferred control to the flight instructor. During the landing, one wheel exited the runway surface, and the airplane veered to the right. The airplane struck a VASI light, and the flight instructor taxied the airplane to the ramp to inspect the damage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilator and empennage. Both the flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident was reported to the National Transportation Safety Board on November 18, 2024.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.