Cessna 177 accident near Carson City, Nevada, August 27, 1999
On August 27, 1999 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N3327T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson 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 use of an excessive approach reference airspeed, his misjudged landing flare, and subsequent hard landing/porpoise. A contributing factor was the airplane's excessive approach airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1999 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N3327T · registry record · serial 17700627
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing a biennial flight review during which landings were practiced, the flight instructor exited the airplane and the pilot took off. He flew for about 15 minutes. Upon approaching the airport, he extended the wing flaps to the 10-degree setting. According to the pilot, on the final approach leg he encountered a 'small amount of turbulence.' The airplane's airspeed was excessive, and the airplane touched down hard in a nose low attitude. Thereafter, it porpoised several times before coming to rest on the 5,900-foot-long runway.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,976 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1999; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 11:15 pm
- Destination: CXP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from RNO, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.