20240531006739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 170A · Willow, AK · May 31, 2024

Date: May 31, 2024 · 19:00 local
Place: Willow, AK
Airport: Willow
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5789C
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC24LA042
Reported as: Cessna 170A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 480 total299 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N5789CRegistered now · Cessna 170AS/N 19743 · Built 1950 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 landed at Willow Airport runway 31. Touched down at the threshold, low tail wheel landing. Landing seemed normal, planned turn-off mid field. Left the tail up with a little throttle for a quick taxi to the turn-off. Began to slow for the turn-off, pulled to idle, lowered tail, slight brake pressure. Plane was straight and acting normal. Suddenly pulled to the right, applied full left rudder and left brake with little to no response. Plane left the right side of the runway and ground looped. Left tire dug in, wing came down and contacted the ground.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT LANDED AT WILLOW AIRPORT RUNWAY 31. TOUCHED DOWN AT THE THRESHOLD, LOW TAIL WHEEL LANDING. LANDING SEEMED NORMAL, PLANNED TURN-OFF MID FIELD. LEFT THE TAIL UP WITH A LITTLE THROTTLE FOR A QUICK TAXI TO THE TURN-OFF. BEGAN TO SLOW FOR THE TURN-OFF, PULLED TO IDLE, LOWERED TAIL, SLIGHT BRAKE PRESSURE. PLANE WAS STRAIGHT AND ACTING NORMAL. SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT, APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE WITH LITTLE TO NO RESPONSE. PLANE LEFT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED. LEFT TIRE DUG IN, WING CAME DOWN AND CONTACTED THE GROUND.

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 ANC24LA042Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportWillow, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing roll, resulting in a ground loop and substantial damage to the airplane.Jun 1, 2024 · Substantial damage