Cessna 177RG accident near Statesville, North Carolina, May 18, 2026
On May 18, 2026 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 177RG, registered N177BT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2026 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG, built 1977 · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N177BT · registry record · serial 177RG1194
- 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 approaching the traffic pattern at his destination airport. A pilot from another airplane announced they were taking off from the same runway as the intended landing. After takeoff, the other airplane entered the downwind leg ahead of the pilot. The pilot got distracted by the other airplane now ahead of him and forgot to complete the before landing checklist. He subsequently landed without extending the landing gear, resulting in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,669 hours in all; 3,561 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 3,561 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 5, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,890 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2026; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 2,378 hours total
- Operator: Plane Data INC
The flight
- Departed from: TYS Knoxville TN at 3:22 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 7,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from SVH
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSVH 181635Z AUTO 25010KT 10SM CLR 30/17 A3028 RMK AO2 T03000172
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 3, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photograph | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.