Cessna 177B N34880

Summary

On 2 September 2014 at about 18:30 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N34880, operated by Wilsey Christopher, was involved in an accident near Neihart, Montana, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2014 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Neihart, Montana, United States

Coordinates

46.8586, -110.6789

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N34880

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Wilsey Christopher

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Great Falls → White Sulphur S

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14FA362

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude in turbulent conditions over mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to traverse the mountainous area with the airplane over its maximum gross weight and with a forward center of gravity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While flying in mountainous terrain to show one of the passengers the area, the pilot entered a canyon that started to narrow as the canyon's walls rose so the pilot initiated a climb. The airplane then experienced a downdraft followed by a second downdraft, and the pilot found a low spot in the trees and attempted a climbing turn; however, the airplane would not climb and started brushing the trees. The airplane descended into the ground, and a postimpact fire ensued. The pilot reported no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Weather charts revealed gusty wind conditions with vertical air mixing and an increased potential for turbulence in the accident area. Weather model soundings and simulations revealed that the layer from the surface through 10,000 feet mean sea level was unstable, indicating that the airplane likely encountered wind magnitudes as high as 30 knots, gusty winds, and updrafts and downdrafts in the mountainous terrain. Further, the airplane likely experienced turbulence and encountered downdrafts with a tailwind component at a velocity between 100 and 200 ft per minute. Calculation of the airplane's weight and balance revealed that throughout the flight, the airplane was operating about 114 pounds over maximum gross weight and outside (forward) of the center of gravity envelope. It is likely that the airplane was unable to climb over the terrain as a result of the airplane's weight and balance configuration combined with the weather conditions in the area.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.