Cessna 177 N3117T

Summary

On 22 April 2001 at about 17:10 local time, a Cessna 177 registered N3117T was involved in an accident near Hampton, New Hampshire, United States. 2 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

22 April 2001 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Hampton, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Hampton Airfield (7B3)

Coordinates

42.9406, -70.8193

Aircraft

Cessna 177

Registration

N3117T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oxford → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA103

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a downdraft, which resulted in a collision with trees. A factor related to the accident were the downdraft wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that while landing on runway 20, as the airplane crossed over a tree line, the airplane's airspeed "shot up" momentarily to 105 mph, and then back to 80 mph. After encountering the "heavy turbulence," the pilot elected to perform a go-around; however, as the airplane began to climb, at a "best climb of 65 to 70 mph," the airplane would not ascend, and struck trees located about 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. After impacting the trees, the airplane descended, and came to rest on top of a stone wall. According to the Airplane Owners Manual, the obstacle clearance speed, with a 1/4 flap setting, was 67 mph. The winds reported at an airport located about 6 miles to the north of 7B3, at 1255, were from 280 degrees at 18 knots, gusts to 25 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.