- Date
- September 22, 2020, 12:18 local (16:18 UTC)
- Place
- Pottstown, PA · Heritage Field Airport (PTW)
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2772DCessna 170
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200922014649A
- Case key
- 102056
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 while landing in gusty, shifting wind conditions.
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 pilot reported that the most recent automated surface observing system (ASOS) weather favored a landing on runway 28, with an 8 knot right quartering headwind and 15 knot gusts. The pilot made a normal approach to runway 28; however, when he reduced engine power and began to flare the airplane ballooned about 8 to 10 ft and he added engine power. During the subsequent touchdown on the main landing gear the wind shifted to a quartering tailwind. The airplane veered to the right and the pilot applied left rudder and brake; however, the airplane ground-looped and exited the runway. The airplane came to rest opposite the landing direction and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Review of additional ASOS data revealed a 66° difference in the gust wind direction over a 2-minute period around the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2772D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25314
- Built
- 1952
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 28, 2020
- Airport
- PTW · Heritage Field Airport, runway 28, 3,371 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 6, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,752 total · 205 in this make and model · 5,500 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Remote
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 17, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 321 total · 199 in this make and model · 167 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- KPTW
- METAR
- KPTW 221554Z AUTO 31009G14KT 10SM CLR 19/03 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP213 T01890033
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2772D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.