- Date
- July 7, 2017, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pine Bluff, AR
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2811CCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170707008989A
- Case key
- 95538
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 roll.
Findings · 2
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 the landing roll, the tailwheel shimmied, so he held full aft elevator input until the airplane slowed. He then "slightly" released the back pressure when the airplane suddenly swerved to the right. The pilot was unable to correct the turn, and the airplane ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane 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.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, the tailwheel shimmied so he held full aft elevator input until the airplane slowed. He then "slightly" released the back pressure when the airplane suddenly swerved to the right. The pilot was unable to correct the turn and the airplane ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2811C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26354
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 3,523.8
- Engine
- Continental O300D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 2017
- Departed
- 25M · Ripley, MS
- Destination
- PBF · Pine Bluff, AR
- Airport
- PBF · Grider Field, runway 18, 5,998 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 9, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 939 total · 808 in this make and model · 842 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KPBF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 13, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.