The pilot said that during the landing roll at the airport in Aztec, N.M., he was “blinded by the sunrise coming straight down the runway.”
Unable to see, he applied power to abort the landing, but the Cessna 177RG departed the runway to the left and hit shrubs.
He reduced power to idle and stopped the airplane after it hit the shrubs.
The fuselage and stabilator sustained substantial damage.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with shrubs.
NTSB Identification: GAA15CA300
This September 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
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