- Date
- March 25, 2017, 18:06 local (Mar 26, 2017, 01:06 UTC)
- Place
- Death Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9953ACessna 170
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170325003299A
- Case key
- 94914
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 improper compensation for crosswind conditions during the landing flare and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Findings · 5
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing on a backcountry dirt airstrip in a crosswind, the airplane touched down and bounced. He added that he attempted to maintain directional control, but a "[wind] gust weathervaned the aircraft nose left," and the right main landing gear wheel dug into the ground during the second touchdown. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the left, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during landing on a backcountry dirt airstrip in a crosswind, the airplane touched down and bounced. He added that he attempted to maintain directional control, but a "[wind] gust weathervaned the aircraft nose left" and the right main landing gear wheel dug into the ground during the second touchdown. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the left and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9953A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19313
- Built
- 1950
- Airframe hours
- 4,841.1
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2016
- Departed
- L00 · Rosamond, CA
- Destination
- Death Valley, CA
- Equipment
- None
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 27, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 971 total · 404 in this make and model · 894 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KBIH, 44 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 424 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.