# NTSB NYC03LA144: Cessna 170A, N9067A, Newcomerstown, OH, June 27, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 27, 2003, 16:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Newcomerstown, OH - Coordinates: 40.365276, -81.571945 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3653&lon=-81.5719&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-25 - NTSB case key (mKey): 57323 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA144 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57323/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA144 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point and delayed go-around. Factors in this accident were the up sloping runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - terrain condition - uphill (contributing factor) - proper touchdown point - not obtained, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - object - other ## Analysis The pilot was landing to the north on a 1,200-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, turf runway. The runway contained a 300-foot-long flat touchdown area, followed by an incline of about 30-percent. The airplane touched down halfway down the runway and bounced. The pilot initiated a go-around; however, as the airplane climbed, the pilot observed two hay bales located about 30 feet beyond the end of the runway. He tried to avoid the hay bales by making a quick right turn, but the left side of the horizontal stabilizer hit the top of one of the bales. The airplane then pitched down and struck the ground nose first. The pilot did not over fly the field prior to the landing attempt, and was not aware of the hay bales until the airplane reached the crest of the runway. ## Factual narrative On June 27, 2003, about 1650 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N9067A, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at a private airstrip in Newcomerstown, Ohio. The certificated commercial pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Richard Downing Airport (I40), Coshocton, Ohio. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the passenger with the location of several local private grass strips. The airplane was landing to the north on a 1,200-foot-long, 30-foot-wide, turf runway. The pilot reported that the runway contained a 300-foot-long flat touchdown area, followed by an incline of about 30-percent. In addition, two 40-foot tall trees were located about 100 feet before the threshold. The pilot described the approach as normal. He further stated that the airplane was about 5 knots fast and a little high, because his attention was divided between flying the approach, and pointing out several features of the strip to the passenger. The airplane touched down halfway down the runway and bounced. The pilot initiated a go-around; however, as the airplane climbed, the pilot observed two hay bales at the end of the runway. He tried to avoid the hay bales by making quick right turn, but the left side of the horizontal stabilizer hit the top of one of the bales. The airplane then pitched down and struck the ground nose first. The hay bales were located about 30 feet beyond the end of the runway. The pilot stated he did not observe the hale bales until the airplane reached the crest of the runway, and he should have over flown the field to determine if any changes had occurred since his last landing attempt at the strip. The pilot reported 626 hours of total flight experience, which included 115 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane. The reported winds at an airport about 22 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1653, were variable at 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9067A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9067A-2008-11-05), registration cancelled 2008-11-05, S/N 18826, built 1949 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170A - Registry model: [Cessna 170A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170a) (registry code 2072304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18826 - Airframe hours: 5913 - Engines: Continental O-300/A 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Missionary Maintenance Services - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 23, 2003, 30 hours before - Departed: I40, COSHOCTON, OH - Destination: NONE - Airport: NONE, ARTH (Private), runway N/S, 1,200 × 30 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 27, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 626 total, 115 in this make and model, 562 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: PHD, 22 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030627012359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030627012359A), Jun 27, 2003: Cessna 170A, New Comerstown, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) Mr. Brian f. pottinger, pilot cert. #294526121, was attempting a landing at arth Private Airport on 6-27-03 in a Cessna 170, N9067A. The day was VFR with… 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.