- Date
- September 11, 2009, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Dalhart, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2929NCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090911016489A
- Case key
- 74732
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 decision to land with a tailwind resulting in a loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
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 pilot elected to land the tailwheel airplane on runway 17. During the landing rollout the airplane became airborne, swerved right, and again contacted the runway. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and subsequently the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest on its left side and the pilot and passenger were able to exit unassisted. Around the time of the accident, the automated weather observing system at the accident airport reported the winds to be varying from 050 to 090 degrees at 13 gusting to 17 knots. A review of airport information revealed that runway 03 was available for use at the time. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions with the airplane's flight controls.
Factual narrative
The pilot elected to land the tailwheel equipped airplane on runway 17. During the landing rollout the airplane became airborne, swerved right, and again contacted the runway. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and subsequently the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest on its left side and the pilot and passenger were able to exit unassisted. Around the time of the accident, the automated weather observing system at the accident airport reported the winds to be varying from 050 to 090 degrees at 13 gusting to 17 knots. A review of airport information revealed that runway 03 was available for use at the time. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions with the airplane's flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2929N
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25545
- Airframe hours
- 3,450
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dooley Charles R
- Registered owner
- Dooley Charles R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 3, 2009
- Departed
- CYS · Cheyenne, WY
- Destination
- DHT · Dalhart, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- DHT · Dalhart Municipal, runway 17, 6,400 × 75 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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 4, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 300 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- DHT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 549 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.
Other investigations on N2929N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.