- Date
- May 14, 2005, 15:50 local (23:50 UTC)
- Place
- Dillingham, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4606CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050514011419A
- Case key
- 61487
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident are a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop/swerve.
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 private pilot was landing on a paved runway in a tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane with an 80 degree right crosswind of 8 knots. The pilot stated that the airplane bounced slightly and settled onto the right main tire, and then veered to the left. He attempted to correct to the right, but the airplane went off the runway, and ground-looped to the right. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On May 14, 2005, about 1550 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N4606C, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Dillingham Airport, Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal area flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The flight originated at the Togiak Airport, Togiak, Alaska, about 1515. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 16, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 01, which required a correction for a right crosswind. The pilot stated that as the airplane touched down on the dry, paved runway, it bounced slightly and settled onto the right main tire, and then veered to the left. He said he attempted to correct to the right, but the airplane went off the runway, and ground-looped to the right. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
A weather observation at Dillingham at the time of the accident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 2,200 feet scattered, 3,200 feet broken; visibility, 25 statute miles; wind, 090 degrees (magnetic) at 8 knots.
The pilot did not return the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4606C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25550
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donnald S. Bingman
- Registered owner
- James H. Bingman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TOG · Togiak, AK
- Destination
- DLG · Dillingham, AK
- Airport
- DLG · Dillingham, runway 01, 6,404 × 150 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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.36 inHg
- Observed at
- DLG
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 N4606C · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.