Accident Details
On March 15, 2023, at about 1335 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, registration N2572V, was substantially damaged during a landing roll at Spanish Fork Municipal Airport/Woodhouse Field (SPK) in Spanish Fork, Utah. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The pilot reported that the accident flight was the first since the airplane had undergone maintenance to the landing gear pump indication relay and diode to correct an uncommanded gear pump activation. The flight departed Provo Municipal Airport (PVU), Provo, Utah, with the landing gear retracted during initial climb. After a short cross-country flight, the pilot was cleared to land at SPK. The extension of the landing gear during the approach was described as flawless, with all indications and lights operating normally.
Accident Sequence
The pilot reported that the landing was normal. He stated that the airplane typically “dances around a little bit after landing,” so he usually retracts the flaps to increase weight on the wheels for better brake effectiveness. During the landing roll, he raised the flap lever to the 10° setting, and the airplane began to wallow from side to side. Subsequently, the main landing gear retracted. The tail of the airplane dragged on the runway as it skidded to a stop, with the nose hanging off the left side of the runway into the dirt.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident photographs showed that the nose landing gear was down and locked, which was confirmed during examination, but the left and right main landing gear had retracted. Examination of the landing gear system revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. A landing gear function check, performed per the manufacturer’s maintenance manual, showed normal operation within parameters. The diode and relay installed the morning of the accident were tested and functioned without defects.
When asked if it was possible that he retracted the landing gear instead of the flaps during the landing roll, the pilot replied, “Regarding your question, I’m pretty sure that the flap lever was never touched during the landing roll.”