- Date
- September 30, 2015, 18:00 local (Oct 1, 2015, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9775ACessna 170A
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150930016989A
- Case key
- 92090
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 flare, which resulted in a collision with terrain, and a nose over.
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 during the landing flare in a left crosswind condition, he was "having trouble keeping the airplane straight." He reported that he intended on touching down with the left main landing gear first, but the airplane "rocked on the right" main landing gear. As a result, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the fuselage, and the empennage.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare in a left crosswind condition, he was "having trouble keeping the airplane straight." He reported that he intended on touching down with the left main landing gear first, but the airplane "rocked on the right" main landing gear. As a result, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the fuselage, and the empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9775A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19236
- Built
- 1950
- Engine
- Continental C145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- JHN · Johnson, KS
- Destination
- 8V7 · Springfield, CO
- Airport
- 8V7 · Springfield Muni, runway 17, 5,000 × 60 ft, concrete
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 2, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 314 total · 14 in this make and model · 314 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 11 knots
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPD, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 3, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.