- Date
- September 22, 1993, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Martinsburg, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8081ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930922035949A
- Case key
- 8825
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.
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 reported that during the landing rollout, the right wing of the airplane began to rise. The pilot said he attempted to correct with right aileron and rudder, but to no avail. The left wing struck the ground and the airplane groundlooped to the left. The right main gear collapsed and the right wing was substantially damaged. No mechanical malfunctions were reported. The wind was reported as five knots from 360 degrees magnetic.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 1993, about 1430 hours eastern daylight time, N8081A, a Cessna 170B, was substantially damaged during landing at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight originated from Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C., about 1350 hours, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The airplane was being operated by Armel Aviation, Ltd., Washington, D.C.
The pilot stated that after touching down of runway 26 on all three landing gear, the right wing suddenly began to lift up. The pilot attempted to correct with right aileron and right rudder, but to no avail. The left wing contacted the ground, the airplane groundlooped to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing impacted the ground and the airplane came to rest off the left edge of the runway. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
The reported wind conditions at the airport about the time of the accident were 360 degrees at five knots.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector, the right main landing gear was separated and the right wing sustained substantial damage. An examination did not reveal evidence of any mechanical deficiencies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8081A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20933
- Airframe hours
- 4,102
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Armel Aviation, Ltd
- Registered owner
- Cole, Diane P. & Young, John G
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 22, 1993 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- IAD · Dulles Airport, DC
- Airport
- MRB · Eastern West Va. Regional, runway 26, 7,000 × 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 756 total · 26 in this make and model · 654 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.