No fatalities

7 Dec 2010: CESSNA 177B — GREEN GREGORY E — Seymour, IN

Seymour, IN, United States

On 7 Dec 2010, a CESSNA 177B operated by GREEN GREGORY E was involved in an aviation accident near Seymour, IN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taking off with a gusting wind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff from a snow-covered private airstrip, a gust of wind caused the airplane to strike a fence; the pilot continued to a nearby airport. Inspection revealed stabilator separation.

Incident Overview

According to the pilot, during the takeoff from snow-covered runway 17 at a private airstrip, the airplane encountered a wind gust and subsequently struck a fence on the east side of the runway. The pilot elected to continue the takeoff and landed uneventfully at another airport located approximately 5 miles from the private airstrip.

Wind Conditions

The pilot reported that the winds were from 270 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots.

Notification and Examination

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the accident by an anonymous caller on December 21, 2010. Examination of the airplane revealed that the outboard 8 to 10 inches of the left stabilator had separated.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot