20160617023969A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 170A · Palmer, AK · June 17, 2016

Date: June 17, 2016 · 14:30 local
Place: Palmer, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1311D
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA324
Reported as: Cessna 170A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total275 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days

N1311DRegistered now · Cessna 170AS/N 19887 · Built 1951 Airframe modelCessna 170A Engine 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.

Pilot taking off from unimproved strip (name: mud strip) near upper lake george/knik glacier, with a quartering left headwind. Upon rotation, pilot experienced a direct left crosswind gust, flipping aircraft to the right causing right wing to impact the ground. Aircraft continued to fly and pilot thought there was no damage, but then as flight continued, pilot realized aircraft would not straighten out and continued to turn right (due to damage of right aileron). At that time, pilot decided to abort flight and attempt landing. Aircraft touched down in mud and water and flipped upside down, damaging propeller, windshield, and rudder/vertical tail of aircraft. Resulting damage to right wing, aileron, prop and windshield is substantial. Damage to rudder, vertical tail and right horizontal stabilizer is minor.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT TAKING OFF FROM UNIMPROVED STRIP (NAME: MUD STRIP) NEAR UPPER LAKE GEORGE/KNIK GLACIER, WITH A QUARTERING LEFT HEADWIND. UPON ROTATION, PILOT EXPERIENCED A DIRECT LEFT CROSSWIND GUST, FLIPPING AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT CAUSING RIGHT WING TO IMPACT THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY AND PILOT THOUGHT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE, BUT THEN AS FLIGHT CONTINUED, PILOT REALIZED AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT AND CONTINUED TO TURN RIGHT (DUE TO DAMAGE OF RIGHT AILERON). AT THAT TIME, PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT FLIGHT AND ATTEMPT LANDING. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN MUD AND WATER AND FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN, DAMAGING PROPELLER, WINDSHIELD, AND RUDDER/VERTICAL TAIL OF AIRCRAFT. RESULTING DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING, AILERON, PROP AND WINDSHIELD IS SUBSTANTIAL. DAMAGE TO RUDDER, VERTICAL TAIL AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER IS MINOR.

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 GAA16CA324Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPalmer, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain a wings-level attitude during takeoff in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground, a loss of lateral bank control, and a nose over during the subsequent landing.Jun 17, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1311D · 2

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

Accident 19871012059239ATo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · King Salmon, AKThe aircraft failed to climb after takeoff and hit a berm during abort. Frost on the wings was inadequately clearedOct 12, 1987 · Substantial damage Incident 19810927080459ITakeoff Ground Roll · Egegik, AKDuring takeoff roll aircraft hit soft mud and the aircraft nosed over. Minor damage. Windshield cracked.Sep 27, 1981 · Minor damage