Summary
On December 18, 1997, a Cessna 177 (N2988X) was involved in an incident near Thompson Falls, MT. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot's improper remedial action when confronted with a porpoised landing. A factor was his failure to execute a go-around maneuver.
On December 18, 1997, approximately 1030 mountain standard time, a Cessna 177, N2988X, in the process of re-registration, and being flown by a student pilot, was substantially damaged, during a hard landing at Thompson Falls, Montana. The student pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was the student's first supervised solo, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the Thompson Falls airport approximately 1025.
The student pilot reported that he corrected for a momentary left crosswind (gust) and then the aircraft "dropped to the ground touching all three wheels simultaneously." He reported that "the plane bumped up in the air with a slight nose down attitude" and that the "plane stopped...
This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA98LA025. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2988X.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's improper remedial action when confronted with a porpoised landing. A factor was his failure to execute a go-around maneuver.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On December 18, 1997, approximately 1030 mountain standard time, a Cessna 177, N2988X, in the process of re-registration, and being flown by a student pilot, was substantially damaged, during a hard landing at Thompson Falls, Montana. The student pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was the student's first supervised solo, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the Thompson Falls airport approximately 1025.
The student pilot reported that he corrected for a momentary left crosswind (gust) and then the aircraft "dropped to the ground touching all three wheels simultaneously." He reported that "the plane bumped up in the air with a slight nose down attitude" and that the "plane stopped after the fifth jump." He further reported that after the first excursion the "(yoke froze)" and that a "(go around was not possible)." He did not explain why he felt he could not execute a go-around maneuver and reported that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft.
The instructor pilot, who interviewed the student pilot and examined the marks on the runway as well as the aircraft damage, reported that the aircraft porpoised approximately five times during which the propeller impacted the runway.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA98LA025