Cessna 177-RG accident near Clearwater, Florida, April 28, 2003
On April 28, 2003 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Cessna 177-RG, registered N8015G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (St. Petersburg/Clearwater 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll resulting in the failure and separation of the right main landing gear, partial collapse of the nose landing gear, and substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2003 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · St. Petersburg/Clearwater 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 · all 177-RGs on the register
- Registration
- N8015G · registry record · serial 177RG0015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the landing roll, approximately 100 to 200 feet down the runway, the nose suddenly dropped. He applied back-pressure to the yoke, began braking and intentionally steered towards the grass on the left side of the runway where the right main gear separated. He further stated that he might have used "too much left rudder." The passenger seated in the right front seat stated that during the rollout, the right wing tipped and saw the pilot was "very busy with the yoke." The airplane was going left towards the grass and started skidding sideways coming to a sudden stop. The FAA inspector that examined the wreckage stated the break in the right landing gear was consistent with a ductile break, a high stress fracture. The surface area of the break did not show any fatigue or markings associated with a fatigue fracture. The pilot's total time in make and model was 7.2 hour at the time of the accident. The Cessna 177RG Owners Manual states, "When landing in a strong crosswind, use the minimum flap setting required for the field length." The winds were 070 at 9 knots and the pilot landed on runway 17L with full flaps. A photo of the accident airplane after the accident show the lower section of right main landing gear missing, the nose gear bent towards the left, and the markings on the runway are consistent with the airplane skidding sideways in a left direction on the left side of the runway center line.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,007 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 960 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 13, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2002; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYW Key West FL at 2:55 pm
- Destination: PIE Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17L, 8,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KPIE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.