- Date
- July 29, 1996, 19:12 local (Jul 30, 1996, 03:12 UTC)
- Place
- Northway, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4464BCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960729022759A
- Case key
- 2865
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 of the airplane during landing.
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 made a three-point landing in the tail-wheel equipped airplane. The airplane bounced slightly and then ground looped to the right. The left wing struck the runway and was bent upwards, about 3 feet inboard from the tip. The airplane received damage to the left wing spar and ribs.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 1996, at 1912 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170B, N4464B, crashed during landing at the Northway Airport, Northway, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, about 1620.
The pilot reported he was landing on runway 22 and performed a three point landing. The airplane bounced slightly and then ground looped to the right. The left wing struck the runway and was bent upwards, about 3 feet inboard from the tip. The airplane received damage to the left wing spar and ribs.
The closest official weather observation station is Northway, Alaska. At 1853, a surface observation was reporting, in part: Sky condition and ceiling, 9,000 feet scattered, 20,000 feet overcast; visibility, 50 miles; temperature, 72 degrees F; dew point, 37 degrees F; wind, 290 degrees at 9 knots; altimeter, 29.78 inHg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4464B
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26808
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Orlow L. Mcinelly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FBK · Ft Wainwright, AK
- Destination
- ORT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ORT · Northway, runway 22, 5,100 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,300 total · 100 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORT
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 N4464B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.