No fatalities

10 May 2017: CESSNA 177 B — Frankston, TX

Frankston, TX, United States

On 10 May 2017, a CESSNA 177 B was involved in an aviation accident near Frankston, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s loss of runway visibility during landing in rain, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of situational awareness and subsequent loss of airplane control. 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

A pilot landing on a grass airstrip in light rain and mist lost visibility during the flare, veered left off the runway, and struck trees, causing substantial damage.

Approach and Conditions

The pilot reported conducting an approach to a grass airstrip under light rain conditions with mist present.

Loss of Visibility During Landing

During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a rain shower that obscured the pilot's visibility. Despite commencing the landing, the pilot lost sight of the runway. The airplane touched down left of the runway centerline and subsequently veered off the left side of the runway.

Pilot's Account

The pilot recalled, "By the time I was aware of my position it was not possible to correct," and the airplane impacted trees.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to both wing spars and engine mounts.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

Effect on personnelPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome