What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On may 7, 2001, at 1956 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N3143A, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Fairbanks international airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area instructional flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the student pilot/owner. The commercial certificated pilot/flight instructor, and the student pilot, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks international airport at 1917. During a telephone conversation with the national transportation safety board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (iic), on may 9, 2001, the flight instructor reported that he was conducting wheel landings with the student on the ski strip, runway 19, at Fairbanks. During the touchdown on the third or fourth landing, the tailwheel assembly suddenly broke off. A federal aviation administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Fairbanks flight standards district office (FSDO), examined the airplane after the accident. He reported he found a preexisting crack in the tailwheel spring assembly that was about 1/16 inch deep, and about 1/2 inch long. He said the spring failed at the crack, and when the tailwheel departed the airplane, it struck the bottom of the rudder, and the rudder trim tab. The bottom and aft portion of the rudder assembly was torn open. (-23)pilot and CFI doing wheel landings on 19 skistrip (fai) on rollout the tailwheel spring broke where it entered the tailwheel brackett (at a previous crack) the tail wheel swung up and hit the rudder doing damage to bottom rudder skins. Pilot did nit lose control of aircraft and taixed clear of runway.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON MAY 7, 2001, AT 1956 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL-EQUIPPED CESSNA 170B AIRPLANE, N3143A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE STUDENT PILOT/OWNER. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND THE STUDENT PILOT, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 1917. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON MAY 9, 2001, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS CONDUCTING WHEEL LANDINGS WITH THE STUDENT ON THE SKI STRIP, RUNWAY 19, AT FAIRBANKS. DURING THE TOUCHDOWN ON THE THIRD OR FOURTH LANDING, THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY SUDDENLY BROKE OFF. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, FAIRBANKS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE REPORTED HE FOUND A PREEXISTING CRACK IN THE TAILWHEEL SPRING ASSEMBLY THAT WAS ABOUT 1/16 INCH DEEP, AND ABOUT 1/2 INCH LONG. HE SAID THE SPRING FAILED AT THE CRACK, AND WHEN THE TAILWHEEL DEPARTED THE AIRPLANE, IT STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE RUDDER, AND THE RUDDER TRIM TAB. THE BOTTOM AND AFT PORTION OF THE RUDDER ASSEMBLY WAS TORN OPEN. (-23)PILOT AND CFI DOING WHEEL LANDINGS ON 19 SKISTRIP (FAI) ON ROLLOUT THE TAILWHEEL SPRING BROKE WHERE IT ENTERED THE TAILWHEEL BRACKETT (AT A PREVIOUS CRACK) THE TAIL WHEEL SWUNG UP AND HIT THE RUDDER DOING DAMAGE TO BOTTOM RUDDER SKINS. PILOT DID NIT LOSE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT AND TAIXED CLEAR OF RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.