ANC98LA028

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 170B · Dillingham, AK · March 21, 1998

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 21, 1998, 17:18 local (21:18 UTC)
Place
Dillingham, AK
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3179BCessna 170B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 8, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
FAA report
19980321007309A
Case key
3121

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot-in-command's decision to relinquish controls to the student pilot in the left seat during practice landings, and the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control. A factor contributing to this accident was the pilot-in-command's lack of certification as a flight instructor.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Relinquishing of control - intentionalPilot in commandCause
Lack of certificationPilot in commandFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Nose downLanding - roll

Analysis

The pilot-in-command held a private pilot certificate and was seated in the right seat. He did not hold a flight instructor certificate. The airplane's co-owner was a student pilot and was seated in the left seat. During the second touch-and-go landing, with the pilot-in-command allowing the student pilot to manipulate the flight controls, the airplane bounced and ground looped to the right. The left wing contacted the ground, and the airplane nosed down.

Factual narrative

On March 21, 1998, at 1718 Alaska standard time, a Cessna 170B tailwheel equipped airplane, N3179B, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Dillingham Airport, Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane was co-owned and operated by the two occupants, both of Dillingham. The private certificated pilot, and student pilot at the controls, were uninjured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight to conduct touch and go landings. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Dillingham at 1700.

The student pilot at the controls stated during an interview with the NTSB investigator that there was a five to seven knot crosswind from the right. He had his first solo one week prior to the accident. He had accrued 25 hours of total flight time, with 15 hours in this airplane. He was manipulating the flight controls from the left seat, with the private pilot observing from the right seat. The private pilot did not hold a flight instructor certificate. On the second touch-and-go landing, the airplane bounced and ground looped to the right. The left wingtip dragged the ground, and the airplane nosed down.

Aircraft

Registration
N3179B
Reported as
Cessna 170B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
170-25421
Airframe hours
4,641
Engine
Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
David J. Powers
Registered owner
Shaen C. Tarter
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 15, 1997 · 136 hours before
Airport
DLG · Dillingham, runway 19, 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
31
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Right
Flight hours
220 total · 90 in this make and model · 220 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 6 knots
Visibility
25 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
36 °F, dew point 19 °F
Altimeter
30.00 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.