# NTSB CEN23LA140: Cessna 170A, N9254A, Oklahoma City, OK, March 19, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 19, 2023, 13:14 local (18:14 UTC)
- Place: Oklahoma City, OK
- Coordinates: 35.491476, -97.540528 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4915&lon=-97.5405&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106910
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA140
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106910/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106910
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA140

## Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing with wind gusts, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.

## Findings

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

- [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170A, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072304), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that after touchdown on the runway, a gust of wind pushed the tail of the airplane to the left. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the runway and nosed over in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reported winds about the time of the accident were light and variable at 3 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9254A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9254A), registered now, S/N 19015, built 1949 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170A (NO SERIES)
- 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: 19015
- Year built: 1949
- Airframe hours: 5804.7
- Engines: Continental O-300A 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Farnsley Aero LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 8, 2023
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: KPWA, Wiley Post, runway 35R, 7,199 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 72; injuries: unknown; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 15, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 1,360 total, 36 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter: 30.50 inHg
- Observed at: KPWA, 6 nm away
- METAR: KPWA 191753Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 05/M13 A3050 RMK AO2 SLP337 T00501128 10056 21078 58013

## 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 20230319003639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230319003639A), Mar 19, 2023: Cessna 170A, Bethany, OK, Substantial damage. Landing on rw 35R, aircraft had been trimmed for wheel landing w/ 2 notches of flaps. On touch down centerline was maintained, as speed was being bleed off and…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106910. 4.4 MB in all.

- NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report CEN23LA140 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15533870&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN23LA140_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array CEN23LA140 (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 883 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15533665&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20CEN23LA140-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.

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