# NTSB CEN20LA415: Cessna 170, N4019V, San Antonio, TX, September 20, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 20, 2020, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.469495, -98.529846 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4695&lon=-98.5298&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - SAT FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102025 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA415 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102025/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA415 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions while landing, which resulted a loss of lateral control and impact with a fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Cessna 170, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 170, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 170, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 170, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 170, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072302), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during landing on runway 35, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right and that it then struck an airport perimeter fence at the edge of the airport property. The fence was located about 100 ft right of the runway centerline. The aft fuselage and the left horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. An airport observation station located about 10 miles from the accident site reported wind from 020° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical “problems” with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4019V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4019V), registered now, S/N 18338, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Cessna 170](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170) (registry code 2072302) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18338 - Year built: 1948 - Engines: Continental C145 SERIES 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ayala Gerardo J - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Airport: 8T8, San Geronimo Airpark, runway 35, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; seat: left; flight hours: 650 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: CVB, 10 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 20200920017609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200920017609A), Sep 20, 2020: Cessna 170, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. N4019V a Cessna 170 lost control during landing at san geronimo (8T8) airpark. The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured. He stated that he… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 9, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102025. 1.3 MB in all. - Record of conversation with pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12349740&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20with%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Weather information (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11876717&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=metars-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11902021&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photo%20array-Rel.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.