- Date
- May 29, 2004, 10:13 local (18:13 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2514DCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20040529010509A
- Case key
- 59397
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and subsequent structural damage to the airplane when it struck the runway.
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.
Analysis
The airplane owner/student pilot was performing a wheel landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane during a private pilot practical test. The pilot said that as the tailwheel lowered to the runway, the airplane veered to the left. He applied the right brake and right aileron, and the airplane then ground looped to the right, off the right side of the runway. The left wing struck the ground, and the airplane received damage to the left wing spar, the left aileron, and left elevator. The wind condition was reported as variable at 3 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2004, about 1013 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N2514D, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped and the left wing struck the runway during the landing roll at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) private pilot practical test under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the airplane owner/student pilot. The student pilot and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated examiner were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated at Merrill Field, about 0900.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 1, the student pilot reported that he was performing a wheel landing on runway 24 at Merrill Field. He said that as the tailwheel lowered to the runway, the airplane veered to the left. He applied the right brake and right aileron, and the airplane then ground looped to the right, off the right side of the runway. The left wing struck the ground, and the left wingtip was damaged.
On June 7, the student pilot's mechanic reported that the airplane received damage to the left wing spar, the left aileron, and left elevator. The mechanic indicated that he would replace the left wing.
At 0953, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at Merrill Field was reporting, in part: Wind, variable at 3 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, clear; temperature, 52 degrees F; dew point, 39 degrees F; altimeter, 29.67 inHg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2514D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20666
- Airframe hours
- 2,891
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James J. VanSchoick
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 13, 2003 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- PAMR · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- PAMR · Merrill Field, runway 24, 4,000 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- May 25, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 72 total · 20 in this make and model · 19 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Check pilot
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.67 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMR
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 N2514D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.