- Date
- February 7, 2009, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Placid, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1825CCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090207003209A
- Case key
- 73336
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 during the landing. Contributing was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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.
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 airplane "started to swerve to the right" after the student pilot corrected for a slight left drift while attempting a crosswind landing. Despite an attempt by both the pilot and flight instructor to arrest the right turn by applying "all controls and left brake," the airplane continued to veer to the right and skidded off the runway. During the skid the left wing contacted the runway and was substantially damaged. The instructor reported that the wind was a direct crosswind from the right at approximately 5 knots. The winds recorded at the nearest airport, 30 miles to the east, were from an easterly direction at approximately 6 to 9 knots. In addition, the pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions/failures.
Factual narrative
The Cessna 170B "started to swerve to the right" after the pilot corrected for a slight left drift while attempting a cross wind landing. Despite an attempt by both the pilot and flight instructor to arrest the right turn by applying "all controls and left brake," the airplane continued to veer to the right and skidded off the runway. During the skid the left wing contacted the runway and was substantially damaged. The instructor reported that the wind was a direct crosswind from the right at approximately 5 knots. The winds recorded at the nearest airport, 30 miles to the east, were from an easterly direction at approximately 6 to 9 knots. In addition, the pilot checked no mechanical malfunctions/failures on the National Transportation Safety Board form 6120.1 he submitted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1825C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25969
- Airframe hours
- 2,713
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental C-145-2H, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 7, 2009
- Departed
- 09FA · Lake Placid, FL
- Destination
- 09FA · Lake Placid, FL
- Airport
- 09FA · Placid Lakes Airport, runway 36, 4,800 × 50 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 20, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 468 total · 1 in this make and model · 417 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 13, 2006
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 2 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.45 inHg
- Observed at
- OBE, 30 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.