- Date
- June 15, 1995, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gulkana, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4512CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950615017869A
- Case key
- 2665
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.
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 pilot was landing on runway 14. The wind was from 130 degrees at 6 knots. Upon landing the airplane began to veer right. As the airplane turned it dragged its left wing on the ground. The pilot stated she has no idea why the airplane 'ground looped.'
Factual narrative
On June 15, 1995, at 1215 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N4512C, registered to and operated by the pilot, dragged a wing upon landing at the Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, on a visual flight rules flight plan and the destination was the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The private certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the pilot, upon touchdown the airplane began to veer right and she lost directional control. The airplane turned to the right and "ground looped" dragging the left wing on the runway's surface.
The pilot was landing the airplane on Gulkana's runway 14. The wind was from 130 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot stated she has no idea why the airplane "ground looped."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4512C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25456
- Airframe hours
- 4,476
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alderson, Judith E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 6, 1995 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- GKN · AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- GKN · Gulkana, runway 14, 5,000 × 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 778 total · 687 in this make and model · 741 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F
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 N4512C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.