Cessna 177RG N52103

Summary

On 24 June 2007 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N52103 was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2007 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Wasilla (PAWS)

Coordinates

61.5217, -149.5403

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N52103

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Merril Field → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC07FA054

2 people died.

The flight instructor's failure to adequately supervise the private pilot (dual student), and his delayed go-around during approach to land. Contributing to the accident was the dual student's misjudged distance/altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor was giving commercial flight instruction to a private pilot in preparation for the commercial flight test when the airplane collided with terrain at an unattended, public airport. The airplane's left wingtip and left main landing gear impacted the ground on the north side of the runway, short of the threshold, as indicated by ground scars containing fragments of the left navigation light, and parts from the left main landing gear. The airplane became airborne again for about 120 feet, leaving no ground scar, and impacted terrain in a near vertical descent, with enough forward motion to fold the engine under the fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright, with the engine intruding into the forward portion of the passenger cabin from underneath, significantly distorting the cabin area, and decreasing survivable space. The landing light and fuel boost pump switches were in the on position, and the landing gear was extended, as in preparation for landing. However, the propeller, mixture, and throttle controls were forward, and the flap handle was up, as if initiating a go-around. The propeller showed signs of high power during impact. An examination of the engine and airframe disclosed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The position of the airplane and ground scars, as well as the throttle and flap settings, are consistent with a low altitude, delayed attempt to reject the landing and go-around.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.