Cessna 177B accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, March 15, 2012
On March 15, 2012 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N30770, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2012 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N30770 · no longer on the register · serial 17701455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the second landing, the airplane drifted to the left, so he applied right rudder to correct for the drift. He stated that when he reduced the power to land, the nose of the airplane dropped, and the airplane landed hard and porpoised. The pilot regained control of the airplane and landed on the remaining runway. A postaccident examination revealed that the nose gear was pushed up, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported there were no failures or malfunctions of the airplane prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,931 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,514 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 2012; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: NEW New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from NEW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.