- Date
- May 13, 2015, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bentonville, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3488CCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20150513006499A
- Case key
- 91192
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 flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground loop on takeoff.
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
During an instructional flight in crosswind conditions, the pilot receiving instruction initiated the takeoff roll and once the airplane became airborne, the nose immediately rotated into the wind. The flight instructor took the flight controls and attempted to maintain directional control with right rudder, but the airplane touched down on the runway and ground looped. During the ground loop the right wing impacted the runway causing substantial damage to the wing. The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The reported winds about the time of the accident were from 110 degrees true at 12 knots, and the runway heading was 180 degrees magnetic.
Factual narrative
During an instructional flight in crosswind conditions, the pilot receiving instruction initiated the takeoff roll and once the airplane became airborne, the nose immediately rotated into the wind. The flight instructor took the flight controls and attempted to maintain directional control with right rudder, but the airplane touched down on the runway and ground looped. During the ground loop the right wing impacted the runway causing substantial damage to the wing. The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The reported winds about the time of the accident were from 110 degrees true at 12 knots, and the runway heading was 180 degrees magnetic.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3488C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26531
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 3,920.2
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Summit Aviation LLC, doing business as Summit Aviation
- Registered owner
- Powell Property Management LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 18, 2014
- Departed
- VBT · Bentonville, AR
- Destination
- 4M1 · Berryville, AR
- Airport
- VBT · Bentonville Muni/Louise M Thad, runway 18, 4,426 × 65 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 6, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,980 total · 15 in this make and model · 1,710 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- December 9, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,034 total · 3 in this make and model · 1,923 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KVBT
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 30, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 83 KB 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.