What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 15, 2021, at 1330 MST, a Cessna 170, N3463C, privacy data omittedperformed a ground loop during its takeoff roll on a personal flight from Belen regional airport?s runway 13. The commercial pilot and his passenger were uninjured. The aircraft suffered substantial damage to the right wing spar. The flight originated at Belen regional in VFR conditions on November 15, 2021 at 1320 MST. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated that, based on a wind of 140/5, he opted to depart runway 13. A C-130 responded to his CTAF communication that it was landing on runway 31. After stopping, the C-130 cleared runway 31 at B2. N3463C entered runway 13 at B1 and started its takeoff roll. As it passed the clearing C130, the prop wash swept N3463C to the right resulting in the ground loop.
Based on the description of events, the iic feels that the ground loop and accident were due to complacency. The pilot stated he was more concerned with wake turbulence and did not stop to consider the prop wash associated with the C-130 operating near the runway. He agrees with the assessment that he should have waited for the C-130 to turn so it was not blowing across runway 13 or taxied past B2 prior to applying takeoff power.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 15, 2021, AT 1330 MST, A CESSNA 170, N3463C, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PERFORMED A GROUND LOOP DURING ITS TAKEOFF ROLL ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM BELEN REGIONAL AIRPORT?S RUNWAY 13. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING SPAR. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BELEN REGIONAL IN VFR CONDITIONS ON NOVEMBER 15, 2021 AT 1320 MST. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE PILOT STATED THAT, BASED ON A WIND OF 140/5, HE OPTED TO DEPART RUNWAY 13. A C-130 RESPONDED TO HIS CTAF COMMUNICATION THAT IT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 31. AFTER STOPPING, THE C-130 CLEARED RUNWAY 31 AT B2. N3463C ENTERED RUNWAY 13 AT B1 AND STARTED ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AS IT PASSED THE CLEARING C130, THE PROP WASH SWEPT N3463C TO THE RIGHT RESULTING IN THE GROUND LOOP.
BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS, THE IIC FEELS THAT THE GROUND LOOP AND ACCIDENT WERE DUE TO COMPLACENCY. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH WAKE TURBULENCE AND DID NOT STOP TO CONSIDER THE PROP WASH ASSOCIATED WITH THE C-130 OPERATING NEAR THE RUNWAY. HE AGREES WITH THE ASSESSMENT THAT HE SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE C-130 TO TURN SO IT WAS NOT BLOWING ACROSS RUNWAY 13 OR TAXIED PAST B2 PRIOR TO APPLYING TAKEOFF POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3463C · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.