Summary
On May 10, 2017, a Cessna 177 (N34207) was involved in an accident near Frankston, TX. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s loss of runway visibility during landing in rain, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of situational awareness and subsequent loss of airplane control.
The pilot reported that he made an approach to a grass airstrip in light rain conditions with mist. During the landing flair, the airplane encountered a rain shower and the pilot's visibility was obscured. The pilot commenced the landing but he lost visibility of the runway. The airplane touched down left of the runway centerline and veered off the left side of the runway. He recalled that, "By the time I was aware of my position it was not possible to correct," and the airplane impacted the trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wing spars and engine mounts.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA274. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N34207.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s loss of runway visibility during landing in rain, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of situational awareness and subsequent loss of airplane control.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he made an approach to a grass airstrip in light rain conditions with mist. During the landing flair, the airplane encountered a rain shower and the pilot's visibility was obscured. The pilot commenced the landing but he lost visibility of the runway. The airplane touched down left of the runway centerline and veered off the left side of the runway. He recalled that, "By the time I was aware of my position it was not possible to correct," and the airplane impacted the trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wing spars and engine mounts.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA274