Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 170 near Buffalo, NY — 2015-07-10

Final reportERA15LA268
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Date
2015-07-10
Location
Buffalo, NY, USA
Airport
BUF
Aircraft
CESSNA 170
Registration
C-FHER
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing with a light quartering tailwind, which resulted in the failure of the landing gear and a subsequent ground loop.

NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that he performed a wheel landing, during which a light quartering tailwind existed. As the tailwheel touched down on the runway, the airplane began drifting right. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to correct the drift by applying left rudder and then left brake. Shortly thereafter, the pilot heard a loud "bang," and the airplane then ground looped left, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear wheel had separated from the landing gear leg. Further examination revealed that two of the four bolts that attached the left main landing gear wheel assembly to the landing gear axle had failed. Examination of the bolts' fracture surfaces revealed signatures consistent with an overload-induced failure due to bending. No evidence of any preexisting corrosion or fatigue of the bolts was observed.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land on runway 23 instead of runway 14.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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