N2809X

On April 29, 2002, at 1315 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 177, N2809X, registered to a private pilot, impacted the runway during an aborted take off at Mallards Landing, Locust Grove, Georgia. The personal flight was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged; the private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Mallards Landing, Locust Grove, Georgia, at 1300.

According to the pilot, during his take off, he experienced gusty wind conditions and turbulence that required more than the usual amount of airplane control to maintain attitude and heading. As he transitioned to a steady climb he encountered more gust. The pilot noticed the airspeed dropped and decided to abort the take-off. The pilot stated that, during the landing phase of the aborted takeoff, he touched down hard on the runway.

Examination of the airplane revealed, that the nose wheel strut was fully compressed. The firewall and fuselage aft to the door hinge were buckled. The left main landing gear strut was bent upward and aft. The wreckage examination failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. The pilot did not report mechanical problems with the airplane.