Casualties unknown

1998-03-23: Cessna 177A (N177MT) — Laurel, MT

Laurel, MT, US

On March 23, 1998, a Cessna 177A (registration N177MT) was involved in an aviation accident near Laurel, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around following a hard landing and bounce. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot practicing touch-and-go landings in crosswind conditions experienced a hard landing and bounce. Attempting a go-around, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient airspeed and drifted off the runway into terrain.

What happened

The pilot was conducting practice touch-and-go landings under crosswind conditions. During the second attempt, the airplane encountered an excessive sink rate while on final approach. The aircraft impacted the runway surface with significant force, resulting in a hard landing that caused it to bounce back into the air.

In response to the bounce, the pilot applied full power to initiate a go-around maneuver. However, the aircraft failed to accelerate to a safe flying speed during this critical phase of flight. As the airplane struggled to climb, it drifted laterally toward the left side of the runway before ultimately impacting the surrounding terrain.

The investigation

The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. Key findings included the excessive sink rate on final approach and the subsequent hard landing. The analysis highlighted that the pilot's attempt to go-around was compromised by insufficient airspeed gain after applying full power.

Findings

Contributing factors to the accident included the crosswind conditions during practice landings and the resulting hard landing with a bounce. The primary causal factor was the failure to achieve flying speed during the go-around, which led to the loss of control and impact with terrain.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around following a hard landing and bounce.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X09781. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.