Cessna 177 N30036

Summary

On 29 October 1989 at about 16:19 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N30036, operated by RDL Inc., was involved in an accident near McHenry, Maryland, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 1989 at 16:19

Classification

Accident

Location

McHenry, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Garrett County (2G4)

Coordinates

39.5506, -79.3500

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N30036

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

RDL Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Washington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO90FA003

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE TAKEOFF AIRSPEED AS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A TAKEOFF WITH A TAILWIND, AN UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT TOOK OFF WITH WINDS THAT VARIED FROM A LEFT CROSSWIND TO A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE RWY SLOPES UPWARD, AND THE TERRAIN SLOPES DOWN PAST THE RWY END. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ALTHOUGH THE ACFT CLIMBED SLOWLY, AND THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THE ENTIRE TIME. THE ACFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN, DESCENDED AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED 30 DEGREES (FULL DOWN). ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA THE BEST RATE OF CLIMB WITH 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS IS ABOUT 310 FPM, BASED ON STANDARD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 4000 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.