- Date
- September 13, 2012, 18:00 local (Sep 14, 2012, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bethel, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N543ARCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120913021569A
- Case key
- 85035
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 takeoff, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that he was taking off on a gravel runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. He said that during the takeoff roll, as the tail of the airplane came off the ground, the airplane started drifting to the left, and he overcompensated with right rudder, resulting in a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he was taking off on a gravel runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. He said that during the takeoff roll, as the tail of the airplane came off the ground, the airplane started drifting to the left, and he overcompensated with right rudder, resulting in a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N543AR
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20704
- Airframe hours
- 12,167
- Engine
- Continental O-300 B1, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2012 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- PFKW · Bethel, AK
- Destination
- PABE · Bethel, AK
- Airport
- PFKW · Kwethluk, runway 18, 3,199 × 75 ft, gravel
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 64 total · 16 in this make and model · 23 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- PABE, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 848 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.