Cessna 177A N30537

Summary

On 6 June 2014 at about 14:45 local time, a Cessna 177A registered N30537 was involved in an accident near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 June 2014 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sauk Centre, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Sauk Centre Muni (D39)

Coordinates

45.7067, -94.9381

Aircraft

Cessna 177A

Registration

N30537

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winsted → Sauk Centre

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA279

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to retract the flaps after beginning the go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after a bounced landing, he added full power and began a go-around. The airspeed was insufficient to climb the airplane, and it began descending and banking in an uncommanded left turn. The pilot applied right rudder and pulled back on the yoke as far as he could, but the airplane nosed down, impacted terrain, and came to rest inverted. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The Pilot's Operating Handbook stated that, in the event of a go-around, the pilot should promptly reduce the flaps to 20 degrees then accelerate to 75 mph and slowly retract the flaps to the full-up position. Photos taken soon after the accident showed that the flaps were still fully extended. The uncommanded bank and pitch down is indicative of an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.