Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 170B near Danville, IN — 2013-05-23

Final reportCEN13CA306
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Date
2013-05-23
Location
Danville, IN, USA
Airport
2R2
Aircraft
CESSNA 170B
Registration
N3119A
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot not maintaining directional control of the airplane during the landing roll resulting in the ground loop.

NTSB narrative

The pilot said that the purpose of the flight was to accumulate two hours solo flight time in reference to insurance requirements. He stated that during his second landing, while transitioning into the flare, he saw the airspeed was 65 mph; he reduced engine power to idle and banked with a “slight” right wing low into the wind. The tail wheel airplane touched down with right main and then left main. The pilot reported that he “got really light on my wheels” and swerved to the right. He swerved to left and the swerves were subsequently getting worse. He said that he could not get the aircraft straightened out. The left wheel skidded on runway and the airplane came to rest on the pavement with the pilot’s door open. The pilot’s door would not close and the pilot taxied the airplane back to the hanger. During a post flight inspection, the pilot discovered white dust on the left main tire. He subsequently found his tire marks just north of the midfield turn off and followed the marks to their end where he found three pieces of the left wheel half. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions in reference to the flight. A subsequent examination of the airplane revealed there was substantial damage to the fuselage and landing gear box.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing when experiencing control issues.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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