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19980601011549A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 170B · Los Alamos, NM · June 1, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 1, 1998 · 15:00 local
Place
Los Alamos, NM
Airport
Los Alamos Airport
Phase of flight
Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1896C
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW98LA251
Reported as
Cessna 170B
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
520 total140 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days
N1896CRegistered now · Cessna 170BS/N 26041 · Built 1953Airframe modelCessna 170BEngine modelContinental C145 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Wheel landing. Lost control. Veered off runway. (.4) the pilot was performing a wheel landing on runway 27 (5,500 ft. x 75 ft., elevation 7,171 feet) which is located on top a mesa with trees lining the south side. He stated that he requested an airport advisory which gave the wind at s-se for 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots. When the airplane touched down, it began to 'weather vain,' and it exited the runway to the left striking a ditch and fence. The density altitude was 10,459 feet, at the time of the accident. (-23) on June 1, 1998, at 1441 MDT, a Cessna CE-170B, N1896C, registered to co-owner lloyd f. hunt, and flown by earl wayne backenstow, on a 14 CFR part 91 flight, was involved in an accident at Los Alamos internatinal airport near Los Alamos, NM. The airplane was landing from a fifteen minute flight, with only the pilot, Mr. Backenstow onboard. Upon attempting a wheel landing, the aircraft ground looped. The pilot was uninjured. Substantial damage was done to both wings and the propeller. No flight plan was filed, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, however the surface wind was gusty.

As the FAA filed it

WHEEL LANDING. LOST CONTROL. VEERED OFF RUNWAY. (.4) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A WHEEL LANDING ON RUNWAY 27 (5,500 FT. X 75 FT., ELEVATION 7,171 FEET) WHICH IS LOCATED ON TOP A MESA WITH TREES LINING THE SOUTH SIDE. HE STATED THAT HE REQUESTED AN AIRPORT ADVISORY WHICH GAVE THE WIND AT S-SE FOR 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, IT BEGAN TO 'WEATHER VAIN,' AND IT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT STRIKING A DITCH AND FENCE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 10,459 FEET, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ON JUNE 1, 1998, AT 1441 MDT, A CESSNA CE-170B, N1896C, REGISTERED TO CO-OWNER LLOYD F. HUNT, AND FLOWN BY EARL WAYNE BACKENSTOW, ON A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT LOS ALAMOS INTERNATINAL AIRPORT NEAR LOS ALAMOS, NM. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING FROM A FIFTEEN MINUTE FLIGHT, WITH ONLY THE PILOT, MR. BACKENSTOW ONBOARD. UPON ATTEMPTING A WHEEL LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO BOTH WINGS AND THE PROPELLER. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, HOWEVER THE SURFACE WIND WAS GUSTY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA251Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLos Alamos, NMThe pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. Contributing factors were the crosswinds, the fence, and the ditch.Jun 1, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1896C · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19830226005379ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Buffalo, WYPilot lost directional control during landing, aircraft ground looped.Feb 26, 1983 · Substantial damageAccident 19810214004129ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Buffalo, WYVeered off runway on landing roll. Main wheel broke off. Airplane ground-looped.Feb 14, 1981 · Substantial damage