# NTSB GAA20CA082: Cessna 170, N3016A, Albuquerque, NM, October 29, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 29, 2019, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.145278, -106.79528 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1453&lon=-106.7953&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100589 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA20CA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100589/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100589 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA082 ## Probable cause The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain directional control and his inadvertent left brake pedal application during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground-loop. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 91 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unintentional use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot receiving instruction for his tailwheel endorsement reported that he and the flight instructor were performing touch-and-go landings on the asphalt surface runway. The airplane was equipped with toe brakes, and after landing, he added power to abort the landing and applied right rudder as the airspeed accelerated to 30 knots. He recalled that he held the right rudder pedal application "too long" and that the airplane veered right. He attempted to correct the right veer by applying left rudder but overcorrected, and the instructor took the controls and applied full deflection of the right rudder. The airplane did not respond to the instructor's right rudder input, and he then applied left aileron. The pilot kept his feet on the pedals and inadvertently applied left brake. The airplane was side loaded to the right, and the right wing struck the ground. The instructor held his control inputs to direct the airplane to the right, but the right wing struck the ground again before the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The wheels dug into dirt on the left side of the runway, the elevator struck the ground, and the right wing struck the ground a third time before the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot receiving instruction for his tailwheel endorsement reported that, he and the instructor were performing touch-and-go landings and takeoffs on the asphalt surface runway. The airplane was equipped with toe brakes, and after landing, he added power to abort the landing, and also applied right rudder as the airspeed accelerated to 30 knots. He recalled that he held the right rudder pedal application "too long" and the airplane veered to the right. He corrected the right veer by applying left rudder but overcorrected and the flight instructor came on the controls and applied full deflection of the right rudder. The airplane did not respond to the instructor's right rudder input, and he applied left aileron. The pilot receiving instruction kept his feet on the pedals and inadvertently applied left brake. The airplane was side loaded to the right, and the right wing struck the ground. The instructor held his control inputs to direct the airplane to the right, but the right wing struck the ground a second time prior to exiting the left side of the runway. The airplane's heading was about 60° to the left of the runway heading, and the wheels dug into the dirt on the left side of the runway and the elevator struck the ground, and the right wing struck the ground a third time before the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the right elevator. Additionally, the pilot receiving instruction was the owner of the airplane, and reported that he, "had installed removable 1 (inch) blocks on the lower portion of the rudder/brake pedals to reduce the required ankle deflection and allow for applying rudder controls with less likelihood of simultaneously applying brake inputs." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3016A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3016A), registered now, S/N 25660, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170 (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25660 - Year built: 1953 - Airframe hours: 3901.5 - Engines: Continental C145-2H 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Perry Aeronautical Services Llc - Registered owner: Perry Aeronautical Services Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Unknown, February 27, 2019 - Departed: AEG, Albuquerque, NM - Destination: AEG, Albuquerque, NM - Airport: AEG, Double Eagle Ii, runway 22, 7,398 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; flight instructor, private, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 13, 2019; seat: right; flight hours: 7,041 total, 589 in this make and model, 6,220 as pilot in command, 67.5 in the last 90 days, 12.3 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review June 7, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 753 total, 2.9 in this make and model, 657 as pilot in command, 25.3 in the last 90 days, 6.1 in the last 30 days, 1.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 9 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KAEG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20191029022199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191029022199A), Oct 29, 2019: Cessna 170B, Albuquerque, NM, Minor damage. On October 29, 2019, at 0936 MDT, a Cessna CE-170B, N3016A, registered to perry aeronautical services LLC, veered left off of the runway on landing and ground… ## Other investigations on N3016A (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CHI89LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI89LA066), Apr 2, 1989: Cessna 170B (N3016A), Freedom, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100589. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480386&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480387&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.