CEN20CA296

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 170B · Bloomington, IN · July 20, 2020

Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal report
Date
July 20, 2020, 15:23 local (19:23 UTC)
Place
Bloomington, IN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8193ACessna 170B
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration; IND FSDO
FAA report
20200720009339A
Case key
101642

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 attain/maintain directional control during landing that resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.

Findings · 1

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 170B: 74 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause

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 commercial pilot stated that the approach to the runway was normal and during the subsequent landing on all three landing gear wheels, a quartering tailwind raised the airplane tail and the right wing. The airplane ground looped, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane. The pilot stated that damage to airplane was minor; however, a photo showed the left wing sustained structural damage inboard of the wing tip. There was also damage to the left wing aileron and elevator.

Factual narrative

The commercial pilot stated that the approach to the runway was normal and during the subsequent landing on all three landing gear wheels, a quartering tailwind raised the airplane tail and the right wing. The airplane ground looped, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane. The pilot stated that damage to airplane was minor; however, a photo showed the left wing sustained structural damage inboard of the wing tip. There was also damage to the left wing aileron and elevator.

Aircraft

Registration
N8193A
Reported as
Cessna 170B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
25045
Built
1952
Engine
Continental C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Pilot
Registered owner
Pilot
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
I80 · Noblesville, IN
Destination
BMG · Bloomington, IN
Airport
BMG · Monroe County Airport, runway 17, 6,500 × 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
61
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 8, 2019
Seat
Left

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
30.01 inHg
Observed at
BMG

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.7 MB 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 N8193A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.