# NTSB CEN22LA236: Cessna 170, N1396D, Houston, TX, June 2, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 2, 2022, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Houston, TX - Coordinates: 29.506139, -95.476917 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5061&lon=-95.4769&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105210 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA236 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105210/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105210 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA236 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inability to compensate for a downdraft during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and subsequent loss of directional control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane encountered a downdraft. The airplane bounced twice and jerked to the left before the pilot attempted to abort the landing. The airplane departed the runway to the left and then returned back to the runway where the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage. The airplane came to rest on its right main wheel, tail wheel, and left wing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar. The left landing gear damage was consistent with impact and overload separation. A review of the maintenance records did not reveal any maintenance to the left landing gear attach point. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact anomaly that would have precluded normal operations. It is likely that the landing gear separated from the airplane due to impact forces during the landing. ## Factual narrative On June 2, 2022, at about 1300 central daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N1396D, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot reported that wind was 010° at 7 knots with thunderstorms in the vicinity. He described the approach as stable despite some significant thermal and downdraft activity. During touchdown the airplane banked slightly to the left, the left wheel touched down hard due to a downdraft, and the airplane bounced. The pilot reported that when the left wheel touched the runway a second time, the airplane jerked aggressively to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and full power to abort the landing, after which he could not recall what immediately followed. The airplane came to rest on its right main wheel, tail wheel, and left wing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the scene of the accident. The inspector reported that evidence indicated that the airplane landed in the center of the runway, departed towards the left into a grassy area, and then returned to the runway where the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage. The FAA inspector found a nut in the fuselage near the landing gear attach point that appeared to be from the bolt that is used to attach the landing gear strut (gear leg) to the airplane. The nut had thread damage and the bolt that holds the landing gear strut to the airplane was not found. The wreckage was recovered to a salvage facility where an additional examination was performed. Each main landing gear strut on the accident airplane was fixed in place by two bulkhead assemblies. The landing gear struts were slotted through the outboard bulkhead assembly and held to the inner bulkhead by a bolt. Examination of the left landing gear attach point revealed that the top of the outboard bulkhead assembly was broken off and not present. The fractured surfaces on the lower remaining portion of the outer bulkhead assembly were visually consistent with an overload event. Additional damage was present in the floor above the outer bulkhead assembly. The fuselage skin around the outer bulkhead assembly was torn and deformed. The left landing gear strut was damaged on the bottom aft side near where it was mounted in the outboard bulkhead assembly. The brake caliper mount exhibited impact damage. There was grass present between the tire and rim of the left wheel and tire assembly. The right main landing gear was intact with no damage noted. Maintenance logs for the accident airplane were provided. No maintenance entries were found regarding removal or installation of the main landing gear struts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1396D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1396D), registered now, S/N 19972, built 1951 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 170 (A) - Registry model: [Cessna 170A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170a) (registry code 2072304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 19972 - Year built: 1951 - Airframe hours: 3751 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-300A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: February 28, 2022 - Departed: T90, Winnie, TX - Destination: AXH, Arcola, TX - Airport: AXH, Houston Southwest Airport, runway 09, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review September 5, 2022; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,094 total, 66 in this make and model, 1,022 as pilot in command, 72 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,300 ft broken - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Turbulence: Moderate - Observed at: KAXH - METAR: KAXH 071815Z AUTO 20006KT 10SM BKN043 34/22 A2988 RMK AO2 T03360219 ## 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 20220602009309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220602009309A), Jun 2, 2022: Cessna 170A, Arcola, TX, Substantial damage. On a written statement, the pilot stated, ?on June 2, 2022 undersigned was landing at runway 9 of the Houston Southwest Airport (axh) in a Cessna 170A with… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 28, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105210. 4.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14226559&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 392 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14226792&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 422 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14226802&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement_Redacted-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.