# NTSB SEA00LA058: Cessna 170B, N4653C, Lopez Island, WA, March 28, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 28, 2000, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Lopez Island, WA - Coordinates: 48.490097, -122.869735 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4901&lon=-122.8697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 51318 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA00LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51318/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA00LA058 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing factors were the crosswind condition, gusts, and the pilot's overall lack of total (flight and tail wheel) experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) ## Analysis The 61-hour pilot was executing a landing in his tailwheel-equipped Cessna 170B to a 2,900 foot long asphalt runway 16. Winds at a nearby airport were reported as 220 degrees magnetic at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. Just prior to touchdown, the aircraft drifted right of the centerline, touched down, bounced and the tail kicked right. On the third bounce the aircraft's right tire deflated. The aircraft continued to 'skip' down the runway veering further to the left and coming to rest 90 degrees to the centerline on the far left side of the runway. The pilot reported that he had recently acquired the aircraft and had approximately 13 hours of flight experience in tailwheel-equipped aircraft. He also commented that he had not flown in crosswind/gusty conditions of this magnitude during his flight experience, and that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft. ## Factual narrative On March 28, 2000, approximately 1130 Pacific standard time, a tailwheel-equipped Cessna 170B, N4653C, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a loss of control on landing touchdown/rollout at the Lopez Island airport, Lopez Island, Washington. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Bellingham, Washington, at 1100. The pilot reported that he initiated his approach to runway 16 (2,900 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) "with 20 degrees of flaps and a little extra speed" and that "just prior to touchdown, the airplane drifted about 5 feet to the right of the centerline. I touched down around midfield. The plane bounced and the tail kicked to the right. The plane then re-touched down, bounced, the tail kicked farther to the right. On the third touchdown, the right tire blew... ." The pilot continued, stating that "the airplane then skipped down the runway on the right rim with the tail moving further to the right with each skip. In total, the plane skipped about 6 times on the rim, coming to rest 90 degrees to the runway on the far left side of the runway... ." The pilot had noted that the right tire was a little low prior to his departure from Bellingham. Additionally, he report that there was no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft. The 1153 surface observation taken at Friday Harbor airport 5 nautical miles northwest of Lopez Island airport reported winds from 220 degrees magnetic at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots. The pilot reported that he had recently acquired the aircraft and had approximately 13 hours of flight experience in tailwheel-equipped aircraft, and 61 hours of total flight experience. He also commented that he had not flown in crosswind/gusty conditions of this magnitude during his flight experience. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4653C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4653C-2013-09-16), registration cancelled 2013-09-16, S/N 25597, built 1953 (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: 25597 - Airframe hours: 4261 - Engines: Continental C-145-2 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Manly, Robert, E. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 5, 1999, 13 hours before - Departed: BLI, BELLINGHAM, WA - Destination: S31 - Airport: S31, Lopez Island, runway 16, 2,900 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 32; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 61 total, 10 in this make and model, 29 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 12 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FHR, 5 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 20000328010149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000328010149A), Mar 28, 2000: Cessna 170B, Lopez, WA, No damage. (-23) Pilot lost control of aircraft during landing in gusty wind conditions. ## Other investigations on N4653C (2) 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 SEA91LA222](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA91LA222), Aug 26, 1991: Cessna 170B (N4653C), Heber City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING GROUND ROLL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CROSSWIND WEATHER CONDITIONS. - [NTSB FTW84LA397](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW84LA397), Sep 15, 1984: Cessna 170B (N4653C), Flatonia, TX, substantial damage 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.