Pilot Debrief

Cessna 177RG near La Verne, CA — 2018-09-30

Final reportWPR18FA279
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Date
2018-09-30
Location
La Verne, CA, USA
Airport
KPOC
Aircraft
Cessna 177RG
Registration
N46321
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was an undetermined engine anomaly.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was an undetermined engine anomaly.

NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger were departing the airport; a witness stated that he heard backfiring during the airplane's takeoff roll. He then observed the airplane become airborne and the landing gear start to retract. About 1 minute 30 seconds after the pilot received take off clearance, the pilot requested a return to the airport due to an engine problem. The air traffic controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 8L, and the pilot subsequently initiated a right turn. The witness then observed the airplane descend to the ground in a nose-low attitude. It is likely that, while returning to the airport after takeoff, the pilot failed to maintain the proper airspeed, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and the cause of the engine problem, as reported by the pilot, could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff upon hearing engine backfiring.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 13 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents13

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