Cessna 177A N3144T

Summary

On 7 June 1992 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna 177A registered N3144T, operated by Robert G. Fairbourn, was involved in an accident near Mariposa, California, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 1992 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mariposa, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mariposa (068)

Coordinates

37.4905, -119.9997

Aircraft

Cessna 177A

Registration

N3144T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert G. Fairbourn

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fresno → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA238

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH FOR LANDING, HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND, HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, HIS MISJUDGMENT OF THE TOUCHDOWN FLARE, AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AERONAUTICAL EXPEREINCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

IN AN INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE HE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND, HE TURNED BASE TOO SOON. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED WAS A LITTLE FAST AND HE WAS A LITTLE HIGH. HE SAID HE PLACED THE AIRPLANE IN A SLIP. HE SAID HE LEVELED THE AIRPLANE OVER THE RUNWAY NUMBERS, BUT THE AIRSPEED WAS ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR TOO FAST. HE SAID HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE HARD ON ALL THREE LANDING GEAR AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO PORPOISE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE 'BOUNCED ABOUT 4 TO 5 TIMES.' HE ALSO SAID HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE DID NOT HELP AND THAT HE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.