Carson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carson City, Nevada 89701
Friday, August 27, 1999 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After completing a biennial flight review during which landings were practiced, the flight instructor exited the airplane and the pilot took off. He flew for about 15 minutes. Upon approaching the airport, he extended the wing flaps to the 10-degree setting. According to the pilot, on the final approach leg he encountered a 'small amount of turbulence.' The airplane's airspeed was excessive, and the airplane touched down hard in a nose low attitude. Thereafter, it porpoised several times before coming to rest on the 5,900-foot-long runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's use of an excessive approach reference airspeed, his misjudged landing flare, and subsequent hard landing/porpoise. A contributing factor was the airplane's excessive approach airspeed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARSON CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89701
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARSON AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CXP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4697
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 342
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4412
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1724
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2001 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3327T
NTSB Number LAX99LA286
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700627
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 7 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 2976
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TONA SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 309 ARROWHEAD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CARSON CITY
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89706
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BYRON SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 38121 25TH STREET EAST, X-204
Operator City PALMDALE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93550
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MEV
Departure City MINDEN
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CXP
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2001 10:25AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 5900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --