N30163

On June 23, 2012, a Cessna 177 (N30163) was involved in an incident near West Milford, NJ. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper full flap retraction while performing a go-around maneuver, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

According to the pilot, the airplane bounced during the landing. He added power in an attempt to recover, but then decided to perform a go-around maneuver. He performed the go-around checklist; however, he inadvertently retracted the flaps to the zero degree, or "UP" position, instead of the required 20 degree flap position. The airplane settled onto the grass to the left of the runway and struck bushes and cement blocks located about 150 feet off the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA12CA414. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N30163.