19980823028189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 170A · North Pole, AK · August 23, 1998

Date
August 23, 1998 · 16:00 local
Place
North Pole, AK
Airport
Bradley Sky-Ranch
Phase of flight
Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9754A
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC98LA136
Reported as
Cessna 170A
Reported engine
Continental C1452
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
28 total22 in this make and model

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.

(.4) On August 23, 1998, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170A airplane, N9754A, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Bradley sky ranch airstrip, North Pole, Alaska. The solo student pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR part 91 local instructional flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight last departed fairbanks international airport on August 23, time unknown. FAA fairbanks flight standards inspectors interviewed the pilot August 28. The FAA inspectors reported the pilot told them he was practicing landings in calm wind conditions at the Bradley sky ranch airstrip. The student pilot related that shortly after touchdown on runway 15, he lost directional control, the airplane ground looped/swerved to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported a crosswind caught the left side of the airplane while landing, and pushed it off the right side of the runway, collapsing the right main landing gear, and striking the right wing on the ground. He did not indicate the estimated direction or velocity of the wind. At 1553, wind conditions at fairbanks international airport,16 miles west of the accident site, were reported to be from 124 degrees magnetic, at 8 knots. An inspection of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector disclosed substantial damage to the right main landing gear's gear box, the bottom of the airplane's fuselage, and the aileron on the right wing. The pilot noted in his report to the NTSB that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction with the airplane. (-23) see narrative #ANC98LA136

As the FAA filed it

(.4) ON AUGUST 23, 1998, ABOUT 1600 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 170A AIRPLANE, N9754A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT THE BRADLEY SKY RANCH AIRSTRIP, NORTH POLE, ALASKA. THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT LAST DEPARTED FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON AUGUST 23, TIME UNKNOWN. FAA FAIRBANKS FLIGHT STANDARDS INSPECTORS INTERVIEWED THE PILOT AUGUST 28. THE FAA INSPECTORS REPORTED THE PILOT TOLD THEM HE WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS IN CALM WIND CONDITIONS AT THE BRADLEY SKY RANCH AIRSTRIP. THE STUDENT PILOT RELATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 15, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED/SWERVED TO THE LEFT, AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE NTSB, HE REPORTED A CROSSWIND CAUGHT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE LANDING, AND PUSHED IT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, COLLAPSING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND STRIKING THE RIGHT WING ON THE GROUND. HE DID NOT INDICATE THE ESTIMATED DIRECTION OR VELOCITY OF THE WIND. AT 1553, WIND CONDITIONS AT FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,16 MILES WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 124 DEGREES MAGNETIC, AT 8 KNOTS. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR DISCLOSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR'S GEAR BOX, THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUSELAGE, AND THE AILERON ON THE RIGHT WING. THE PILOT NOTED IN HIS REPORT TO THE NTSB THAT THERE WAS NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #ANC98LA136

NTSB investigation

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