ANC02LA096

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 170 · Soldotna, AK · August 15, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 14, 2002, 20:00 local (Aug 15, 2002, 04:00 UTC)
Place
Soldotna, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2558DCessna 170
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 29, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
Parties
FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
FAA report
20020814024569A
Case key
55516

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's excessive braking which resulted in a nose over.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Recovery from bounced landing - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Nose overLanding - flare/touchdown
Brakes(normal) - excessivePilot in commandFactor

Analysis

The private certificated pilot was conducting touch and go landings to an asphalt surfaced runway. The pilot said the airplane touched down hard and bounced, and the propeller contacted the runway surface. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, and the pilot applied the brakes. The airplane then nosed over, receiving damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The wind was calm.

Factual narrative

On August 14, 2002, about 2000 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 170 airplane, N2558D, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over following a loss of control while landing at the Soldotna Airport, Soldotna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Soldotna Airport about 1930.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 14, the pilot reported that he was conducting touch and go landings on runway 25. He said the airplane touched down hard and bounced, and the propeller contacted the runway surface. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, and the pilot applied the brakes. The airplane then nosed over, receiving damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and rudder.

At 1955, an automated weather observation system (AWOS) at Soldotna was reporting in part: Wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, clear; temperature, 64 degrees F; dew point, 39 degrees F; altimeter, 30.36 inHg.

Aircraft

Registration
N2558D
Reported as
Cessna 170
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20710
Airframe hours
3,005
Engine
Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
David Spence
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 20, 2001 · 9 hours before
Departed
PASX · Soldotna, AK
Airport
PASX · Soldotna, runway 25, 5,000 × 130 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
53
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
October 26, 2001
Seat
Left
Flight hours
151 total · 1 in this make and model · 80 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
30.36 inHg
Observed at
PASX

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N2558D · 1

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