- Date
- May 1, 2003, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Twentynine Palm, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1607DCessna 170A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20030501028489A
- Case key
- 56940
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 inadequate compensation and his failure to maintain aircraft control. The gusty wind condition was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the landing rollout the airplane encountered a gust of wind and nosed over. The pilot stated that approaching the airport he had received the local weather information from the airport's Unicom, which indicated the wind was from 320 degrees, at 12 knots, with occasional 28-knot gusts. The pilot made a straight-in approach and touched down without incident on runway 26. During the rollout, a wind gust was encountered. The pilot indicated that despite his efforts at maintaining airplane control, he lost control and the airplane nosed over on the runway.
Factual narrative
On May 1, 2003, about 1400 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N1607D, nosed over during landing rollout at the Twentynine Palms (uncontrolled) Airport, Twentynine Palms, California. The airplane, operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged. Neither the commercial pilot nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight that was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated fromTehachapi, California, about 1250.
The pilot reported that approaching Twentynine Palms for landing he had received the local weather information from the airport's Unicom operator. The pilot indicated that the wind was from about 320 degrees at 12 knots, with occasional 28-knot gusts. The pilot made a straight-in approach and made a wheel landing without incident on runway 26, between 400 and 500 feet beyond the runway's threshold. During rollout, the airplane began to weathervane to the right. The pilot stated that he initially maintained directional control by applying rudder and left brake. However, as he lowered the tail he lost control when a wind gust was encountered, and the airplane nosed over on the runway. According to the pilot, during the accident no mechanical malfunctions or failures were experienced with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1607D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20249
- Airframe hours
- 2,515
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alvin Couturier
- Registered owner
- Phil E. Neff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 14, 2002 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- TSP · Tehachapi, CA
- Destination
- TNP · Twentynine Palm, CA
- Airport
- TNP · Twentynine Palms, runway 26, 5,531 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 20, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,201 total · 340 in this make and model · 8,800 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- NXP, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1607D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.