Cessna 177 accident near Palm Springs, California, November 14, 2015
On November 14, 2015 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 177, registered N2112Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs Intl airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a shaft seal at the nose gear retraction/extension actuator, which resulted in a loss of hydraulic fluid and a main landing gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2015 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 RG, built 1974 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2112Q · registry record · serial 177RG0512
- 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The pilot reported that during the takeoff initial climb, after the landing gear was retracted, the landing gear's hydraulic pump electric motor continued to run, even though the landing gear appeared to be fully retracted, as viewed in the landing gear mirror. The pilot then attempted to extend the landing gear normally, but the landing gear would not indicate down and locked. Subsequently, for over an hour, the pilot attempted to manually extend the landing gear, using the emergency manual gear extension hand pump, but he could see in the mirror that the landing gear was only partially extended. During the subsequent emergency landing, the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. The right stabilator sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed that the landing gear system was empty of hydraulic fluid. After the system was serviced with hydraulic fluid and operated, a leak was found at the nose gear actuator due to the failure of a shaft seal. The tests revealed that the landing gear extension process could not be completed, and the manual landing gear pump did not have sufficient fluid remaining to extend all three landing gear. The airplane logbooks revealed no records of service to the nose gear actuator and shaft seal and each were the original manufactured parts.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,596 hours in all; 603 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,132 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,289 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 1,013 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UDD Palm Springs CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: HMT Hemet CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 4,952 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:41 pm from KPSP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic Examination Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | 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.