On March 23, 1997, a Cessna 177B (registration N35034) was involved in an aviation accident near Everett, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot stated that the nose tire blew on contact with the runway and was a contributing factor to the loss of directional control. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, the pilot felt a jolt after lowering the nose, experienced a bounce, then lost directional control to the left. The aircraft veered into wet grass and soft dirt, stopping with the nose gear embedded. The pilot believes the nose tire blew upon runway contact.
Narrative
The pilot reported that the landing was initially normal. After lowering the nose, she felt a jolt or crunch, followed by a slight bounce. The aircraft then touched down a second time, during which directional control was lost to the left. The plane veered off the runway into soft dirt and grass. The ground was described as very wet, likely due to rain that fell both that morning and the previous day. The aircraft came to a stop with the nose gear embedded in the dirt.
Pilot's Statement
In a written statement, the pilot expressed her belief that the nose tire blew upon contact with the runway. She stated that this was a contributing factor to the loss of directional control.
Probable cause
The pilot stated that the nose tire blew on contact with the runway and was a contributing factor to the loss of directional control.