# NTSB CEN14CA343: Cessna 170B, N170CC, Tomball, TX, July 4, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 4, 2014, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Tomball, TX
- Coordinates: 30.061944, -95.55278 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0619&lon=-95.5528&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 14, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89615
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14CA343
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89615/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89615
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA343

## Probable cause

The pilot's loss of directional control during landing rollout, which resulted in a runway excursion and the tailwheel airplane nosing over.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 91 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he was conducting practice takeoffs and full-stop landings with the airplane owner in the right seat for the purposes of achieving tailwheel airplane currency. The airplane insurance company required pilots to be checked out by the airplane owner before naming them on the policy. The airplane owner was not a flight instructor. The pilot stated that on the second landing, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline and on all three wheels simultaneously. As the airplane slowed, it began to veer to the left. The pilot responded with right rudder input. The airplane subsequently veered to the right "more assertively" than he had intended. Rather than risk striking a runway light while attempting to keep the airplane on the runway, he elected to enter what appeared to be an open grass area adjacent to the runway pavement. However, about 25 feet into the grass, the airplane encountered "marshy area" with standing water and soft mud, causing it to nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane before the accident. He commented that he had received a tailwheel airplane endorsement about 3 years before the accident, with limited tailwheel airplane time accumulated since then. He added that the airplane owner suggested that he be more "assertive with the rudders" after the pilot's initial landing during the accident flight.

## Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was conducting practice takeoffs and full-stop landings with the airplane owner in the right seat for the purposes of achieving tailwheel airplane currency. The airplane insurance company required pilots to be checked out by the airplane owner before naming them on the policy. The airplane owner was not a flight instructor. The pilot stated that on the second landing, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline and on all three wheels simultaneously. As the airplane slowed, it began to veer to the left. The pilot responded with right rudder input. The airplane subsequently veered to the right "more assertively" than he had intended. Rather than risk striking a runway light while attempting to keep the airplane on the runway, he elected to enter what appeared to be an open grass area adjacent to the runway pavement. However, about 25 feet into the grass, the airplane encountered "marshy area" with standing water and soft mud, causing it to nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane before the accident. He commented that he had received a tailwheel airplane endorsement about 3 years before the accident, with limited tailwheel airplane time accumulated since then. He added that the airplane owner suggested that he be more "assertive with the rudders" after the pilot's initial landing during the accident flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N170CC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N170CC-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N 27063, built 1955 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170B
- Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-340-series) (registry code 41510, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 27063
- Year built: 1955
- Airframe hours: 3250
- Engines: LYCOMING O-340-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 15, 2014, 1.4 hours before
- Departed: DWH, Tomball, TX
- Destination: DWH, Tomball, TX
- Airport: DWH, David Wayne Hooks Memorial, runway 17R, 7,009 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: minor; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 9,600 total, 1 in this make and model, 5,220 as pilot in command, 140 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observed at: DWH, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20140704009969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140704009969A), Jul 4, 2014: Cessna 170B, Tomball, TX, Substantial damage. I arrived on scene and observed a Cessna CE-170B, N170CC on its top in a ditch filled with water about 35 feet from the right edge of runway 17 right, 1500…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89615. 2.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414737&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.