- Date
- July 15, 2019, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Bison, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2946DCessna 170
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 100008
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 landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent ground loop.
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, upon landing, the airplane veered left. He attempted to correct with rudder and tapping on the brakes, but the airplane ground looped. The pilot added that he believed that "the landing gear was out of alignment." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the windscreen. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the fuselage damage was consistent with a hard landing and ground loop.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a recently purchased tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, upon landing, the airplane veered left. He attempted to correct with rudder and tapping on the brakes, but the aircraft ground looped. The pilot further reported that he believed that "the landing gear was out of alignment." Photos of the fuselage damage, provided by the FAA inspector, are consistent with a hard landing and ground loop. The FAA inspector further identified the last annual inspection was conducted on October 1, 2014. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wind screen. An automated weather observation station located 31 miles to the north, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 3 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 29.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2946D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26889
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 2,990
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2014
- Departed
- 6V5 · Bison, SD
- Destination
- 6V5 · Bison, SD
- Airport
- 6V5 · Bison Muni, runway 29, 3,500 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- April 12, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 7 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KHEI, 31 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.