- Date
- March 31, 2006, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Benton, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2359JCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20060331004709A
- Case key
- 63431
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 maintain directional control of the airplane resulting in a ground loop. Contributing factors include the inadequate preflight inspection, the pilot's failure to properly latch the cowling, and the pilot's diverted attention to the open cowling.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had just departed when the cowling came open and he elected to return to the airport. The pilot stated that during the landing roll he lost control of the airplane, ground looped and departed the runway to the left, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. A post-accident examination of the airframe and airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. The pilot stated that he did not properly latch the cowling.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he had just departed Benton (1K1) when the cowling came open and he elected to return to 1K1. He stated that during the landing roll to runway 35, he "lost control of the airplane," ground looped, and departed the runway to the left. The right wing struck the ground and the outboard 4 feet of the wing was bent up 30 degrees. The wing skin was wrinkled and the main spar was bent. A post-accident examination of the airframe and airplane's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies. The pilot stated that he did not properly latch the cowling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2359J
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20511
- Airframe hours
- 1,670
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sharpening Specialists LC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2005
- Departed
- 1355 · Benton, KS
- Destination
- 71K · Wichita, KS
- Airport
- 1K1 · Benton, runway 35, 1,613 × 40 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
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,961 total · 71 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- AAO, 5 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.