SEA95LA150

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 170B · Afton, WY · July 17, 1995

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 17, 1995, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
Place
Afton, WY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N3165BCessna 170B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 4, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19950717024689A
Case key
42192

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Directional control was not maintained. Factors to the accident were: inadequate remedial action and a stall not identified.

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.

Loss of control - in flightGo-around (vfr)
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Remedial action - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Stall - not identifiedPilot in commandFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterGo-around (vfr)
Object - fence post

Analysis

During a student solo flight, the pilot entered the pattern to practice touch-and-go landings. The pilot stated that he was a little high on final approach and the airplane floated when over the runway. The airplane's angle of attack increased and the pilot opted to go-around. When full power was added, the airplane drifted to the left and the left wing dropped, contacting the ground and a fence post. The airplane then semi-cartwheeled to a stop.

Factual narrative

On July 17, 1995, at 0800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3165B, collided with a fence post during a go-around attempt at the Afton Airport, Afton, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.

During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that this was the first touch-and-go of the flight. The pilot stated that he was a little high on final approach and that the airplane floated when over the runway. The pilot stated "I waited and for some reason the nose floated up more." The pilot did not think that he had sufficient runway remaining to land, and opted to add power to go-around. When the pilot added full power, the airplane drifted to the left and the left wing dropped, contacting the ground and a fence post. The airplane then semi-cartwheeled to a stop.

Aircraft

Registration
N3165B
Reported as
Cessna 170B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
25407
Airframe hours
4,320
Engine
Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Mark Heiner
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 21, 1995 · 77 hours before
Airport
AFO · Afton Muni, runway 34, 4,680 × 75 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
39
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
23 total · 23 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
45 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

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 N3165B · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.