Cessna 177 accident near Pittsfield, Massachusetts, June 29, 2020
On June 29, 2020 at about 6:34 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 177, registered N29334, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pittsfield, Massachusetts (Pittsfield Muni). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2020 · about 6:34 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsfield, Massachusetts · Pittsfield Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 Undesignat, built 1968 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29334 · registry record · serial 17700820
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,248 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10,101 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,098.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 2019; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 4,098 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N27 Towanda PA at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,791 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 28.84 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from KPSF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA20CA242.