Cessna 177 N29334 accident near Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage.

NTSB analysis

As the pilot approached the destination airport he noted a thunderstorm cell in the vicinity as he entered the airport traffic pattern. During the subsequent landing the airplane, “…hit and porpoised twice.” The pilot further described that as the landing continued, he was losing control, and the airplane was drifting to the left side of the runway, so he initiated a go around and joined the traffic pattern for another landing. The second landing was normal, and he taxied to the ramp. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage structure was substantially damaged during the first landing. Review of the weather conditions that prevailed at the time of the accident indicated that the pilot landed with right quartering crosswind. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further stated that he should have been less rushed to land and should have extended the downwind for landing as he did after the go around, to a safe, less rushed landing and tie down.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20CA242 for the full record.