- Date
- June 28, 2017, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Alamogordo, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2774DCessna 170
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170628008739A
- Case key
- 95497
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 receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 4
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 flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the pilot flying was receiving instruction for a tailwheel endorsement. He added that, during the seventh landing of the day, the pilot extended the downwind to allow for traffic that landed ahead of them. He further added that, during the wheel landing touchdown, as the tail was settling to the ground, a wind gust "turned the airplane's tail," which resulted in a ground loop on the runway. The left wing, engine mounts, and windscreen sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station at the accident airport recorded wind from 240° at 6 knots. The flight instructor reported that the landing was on runway 22.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the pilot flying was receiving instruction for a tailwheel endorsement. He added that, during the 7th landing of the day, the pilot extended the downwind to allow for traffic that landed ahead of them. He further added that, during the wheel landing touchdown, as the tail was settling to the ground, a wind gust "turned the airplane's tail," which resulted in a ground loop on the runway. The left wing, engine mounts, and windscreen sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, at the accident airport, recorded wind from 240° at 6 knots. The flight instructor reported that the landing was on runway 22.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2774D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25316
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 6,880.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-AIA, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sasquatch Air LLC.
- Registered owner
- Sasquatch Air LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 6, 2017
- Departed
- ALM · Alamogordo, NM
- Destination
- ALM · Alamogordo, NM
- Airport
- ALM · Alamogordo-White Sands Rgnl, runway 22, 9,207 × 150 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 6, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 10 in this make and model · 367 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 29, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 8 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KALM
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.