Cessna 177B accident near Los Angeles, California, August 16, 2015
On August 16, 2015 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 177B, registered N13HK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Los Angeles, California (Whiteman 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 maintain pitch control during the landing, resulting 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
- August 16, 2015 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Whiteman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B B, built 1972 · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N13HK · registry record · serial 17701810
- 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 the airplane porpoised three times on the second landing, and bounced once on the third and final landing. He reported that while taxing to the fuel pump, he noticed that he had a "flat tire" on the nose wheel. During a postaccident examination of the engine and airframe, substantial damage to the firewall was discovered. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 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 › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 6, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skycombers Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Los Angeles CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: WHP Los Angeles CA
- Runway 12, 4,120 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from KWHP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.