# Accident 19991031030809A: Cessna 170A, El Mirage, CA, October 31, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 31, 1999, 12:00 local time
- Place: El Mirage, CA
- Airport: Dry Lake Bed
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6607° N, 117.5102° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6607&lon=-117.5102&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9063A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9063A-2013-08-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 170A (registry code 2072304, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C145 series (registry code 17012, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170A
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 409 total, 92 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991031030809A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON OCTOBER 31, 1999, ABOUT 1200 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 170A, N9063A, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, GROUND LOOPED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT THE EL MIRAGE DRY LAKEBED, ABOUT 23 NAUTICAL MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.  THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1100. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHEN HE LANDED THE LOCAL WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE.  THE LAKEBED WAS SMOOTH, AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.                      (-23)ON PART 91 FLIGHT, PILOT FELT HIS ENGINE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE ROUGH. DECIDED TO LAND ON AIRSTRIP WEST OF EL MIRAGE, CA. BEFORE GOING OVER MOUNTAINS. HE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY THAT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO FUEL MIXTURE SETTINGS. ON LANDING ROLLOUT HE NOTICED WIRES AHEAD OF HIM AND TURNED A/C HARD LEFT COLLAPSING RIGHT GEAR AND CONSEQUENTLY BREAKING WING AFTER IT     CONTACTED THE GROUND. (.4)ON OCTOBER 31, 1999, ABOUT 1200 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 170A, N9063A, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, GROUND LOOPED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT NEAR THE EL MIRAGE DRY LAKE, ABOUT 23 NAUTICAL MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1100. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHEN HE LANDED THE LOCAL WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE LAKEBED WAS SMOOTH, AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM. IN THE PILOT'S COMPLETED REPORT, HE INDICATED THAT HIS DECISION TO LAND WAS PRECIPITATED BY A "ROUGHNESS IN THE ENGINE," WHICH HE DESIRED TO FURTHER EVALUATE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT FINDING EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH HIS AIRPLANE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX00LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA029), Oct 31, 1999: Cessna 170A (N9063A), El Mirage, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of his airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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