CircumFlightN5511B accident
NTSB CEN14LA388 · 2014-07-20 · Georgetown, TX · near GTU
Docket — crew, injuries and powerplant
Summary
The private pilot was conducting a personal flight and attempting to land the airplane. A witness reported seeing the airplane bounce during the landing. During the second touchdown, the airplane's nose was aligned left of the runway centerline. The pilot then lost directional control of the airplane, which subsequently exited the left side of the runway, flipped, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical fin, rudder, empennage, fuselage, and wing. The right door was jammed from the impact damage, and the pilot and passenger exited the inverted airplane through the left door. An examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preaccident mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation.
Full narrative
On July 20, 2014, about 1540 central daylight time, a Cessna 177B single engine airplane, N5511B, was substantially damaged during landing at Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU), Georgetown, Texas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane had departed from Lancaster Regional Airport (LNC), Lancaster, Texas, about 1430 for the flight to GTU. The air traffic controller witnessed the accident and reported that the airplane bounced during the landing and on the second touchdown the nose of the airplane was aligned well to the left of the runway centerline. Directional control was then lost and the airplane exited the left side of the runway surface, flipped, and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the vertical fin, rudder, empennage, fuselage, and wing. The right door was jammed from the impact damage and the pilot and passenger exited the inverted airplane through the left door. There was no postimpact fire.
An examination found no preaccident mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
At 1540 the automated weather observing system at GTU reported wind from 170 degrees at 9 knots, visibility of 10 miles, few clouds at 3,200 feet, temperature 33 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 24 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of Mercury.
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident.
Circumstances
- Event type
- Accident
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather conditions
- Visual Meteorological Cond
- Light condition
- Day
- Sky condition
- NONE
- Ceiling (ft)
- 0
- Visibility (sm)
- 10
- Wind direction
- 170
- Wind speed (kt)
- 9
- Temperature (F)
- 90
- Nearest airport
- GEORGETOWN MUNI
- Distance from field
- 0.0
- Airport elevation
- 790
Aircraft
| Registration | Make | Model | Damage | FAR part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N5511B | — | — | SUBS | 091 |
Sequence of events
| # | Occurrence | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Landing Abnormal runway contact defining | Cruise |
| 2 | Landing Loss of control on ground | Cruise |
| 3 | Landing Runway excursion | Cruise |
| 4 | Landing Nose over/nose down | Cruise |
| 5 | Post-impact Cabin safety event | Approach |