- Date
- June 10, 2007, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Trenton, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1206DCessna C-170A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070610010259A
- Case key
- 65952
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll which resulted in an impact with trees. Factors in the accident were the uneven narrow runway, and a wind gust.
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
According to the pilot, while landing to the southeast, the C-170A left main landing gear "impacted [a] slight knoll" on the "narrow" turf runway, which caused the "plane to begin [a] right turn." The pilot then applied the left brake, but a "gust" from the left "push[ed the] aircraft right." More braking was applied, "with little or no effect." The airplane "ran off" the right side of the runway, and continued down an embankment toward trees bounding the airport. The pilot applied "both brakes with little effect." The pilot "let off [the] left brake just before impact" in order to steer the fuselage between two trees and minimize the damage and injury potential. The accident airport was the pilot's home field, and was equipped with one windsock. The pilot reported that the wind was "down the runway," and that the "very very dry" conditions of the turf significantly reduced braking effectiveness. The nearest recorded aviation weather, from an airport located approximately 22 miles to the northeast of the accident airport, reported winds of 6 knots from 320 degrees. The pilot reported a total of 2,290 hours of flight experience, 1,290 hours of which were in make and model.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while landing to the southeast, the C-170A left main landing gear "impacted [a] slight knoll" on the "narrow" turf runway, which caused the "plane to begin [a] right turn." The pilot then applied the left brake, but a "gust" from the left "push[ed the] aircraft right." More braking was applied, "with little or no effect." The airplane "ran off" the right side of the runway, and continued down an embankment toward trees bounding the airport. The pilot applied "both brakes with little effect." The pilot "let off [the] left brake just before impact" in order to steer the fuselage between two trees and minimize the damage and injury potential. The accident airport was the pilot's home field, and was equipped with one windsock. The pilot reported that the wind was "down the runway," and that the "very very dry" conditions of the turf significantly reduced braking effectiveness. The nearest recorded aviation weather, from an airport located approximately 22 miles to the northeast of the accident airport, reported winds of 6 knots from 320 degrees. The pilot reported a total of 2,290 hours of flight experience, 1,290 hours of which were in make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1206D
- Reported as
- Cessna C-170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19760
- Airframe hours
- 6,900
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephen W. Wickizer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2007 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- APT · Jasper, TN
- Destination
- NONE · Trenton, GA
- Airport
- NONE · Prater's Landing, runway 14, 1,800 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,290 total · 1,290 in this make and model · 2,170 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 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.