# NTSB LAX02LA159: Cessna 170B, N3462C, San Diego, CA, May 11, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 11, 2002, 16:20 local (23:20 UTC) - Place: San Diego, CA - Coordinates: 32.572223, -116.980278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5722&lon=-116.9803&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54700 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA159 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54700/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54700 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA159 ## Probable cause The failure of the dual student to maintain directional control of the airplane and the instructor's delayed the remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop. A factor in the accident was the gusting crosswind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - ground loop/swerve - encountered - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The airplane veered off of the runway, ground looped, and impacted a ditch. The flight instructor reported that the student was flying as they entered the traffic pattern with the intention of performing touch-and-go pattern operations. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the right. By the time the flight instructor took the controls, the airplane was headed off of the runway. He added power in an attempt to abort the landing; however, the airplane veered off of the runway. The instructor noted that he let the student go too far before he intervened. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15. ## Factual narrative On May 11, 2002, at 1620 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3462C, veered off runway 26R and ground looped after landing at the Brown Field Airport, San Diego, California. The airplane was operated by the flight instructor under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airline transport licensed flight instructor, and a dual primary student were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight that originated from Gillespie Field, El Cajon, California, at 1515. No flight plan had been filed. The winds at the time of the accident were from 300 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15. In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the flight instructor reported that they entered the traffic pattern with the intention of performing touch-and-go pattern operations. The student was flying the airplane. When the airplane touched down, it began to veer to the right. By the time the flight instructor took the controls, the airplane was heading off the runway. He added power in an attempt to abort the landing. However, the airplane ground looped, impacted a ditch, and came to rest about 500 feet north of runway 26R on airport property. The instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. He noted that he let the student go too far before he intervened. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3462C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3462C), registered now, S/N 26505, built 1954 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170B - Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 26505 - Airframe hours: 2448 - Engines: Continental O-300-C 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: William E. Gamble - Registered owner: Ulf and Joanne Brynjestad - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 7, 2001, 48 hours before - Departed: KSEE, Gillespie Field, CA - Airport: KSDM, Brown Field, runway 26R, 7,999 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 11, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 13,000 total, 200 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 37; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 28 total, 21 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KSDM ## 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 20020511009889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020511009889A), May 11, 2002: Cessna 170B, San Diego, CA, No damage. (.19) On may 11, 2002, at 1520 pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3462C, veered off runway 26R and ground looped while landing at the Brown field airport,… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54700. 368 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 354 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436528&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation- CFI (item 2, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40180591&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-%20CFI-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.