On 31 May 2019, a Cessna 177 B operated by Fenton Flyers Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Festus, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper landing flare and failure to maintain pitch control with a crosswind, which resulted in a hard landing and a tail strike. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During landing, a pilot reported that the airplane caught a crosswind and became airborne again. After touching back down, it veered off the runway into grass, then returned to the runway. Substantial fuselage damage and evidence of a tail strike were noted.
Incident Details
The pilot of the airplane reported that during the landing sequence, the aircraft encountered a crosswind, causing it to become airborne again after initial touchdown. Subsequently, the airplane touched back down onto the runway surface and veered to the right, departing the paved area and entering the grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot was able to maneuver the airplane back onto the runway and taxied to the parking area without any further reported issues.
Damage Assessment
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The damage pattern was consistent with a hard landing event. Additionally, the inspector noted evidence of a tail strike on the bottom side of the tail, specifically underneath the vertical stabilizer. This finding further supported the assessment of a hard landing.
Contributing factors
Landing flare — Not attained/maintainedPitch control — Not attained/maintainedPilot