- Date
- August 3, 2013, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- San Carlos, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8249ACessna 170B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130803022559A
- Case key
- 87658
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 a ground loop.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during a wheel landing with an 8-knot crosswind from the right, the main landing gear touched down normally and the airplane began the landing roll down the runway centerline. The airplane then drifted to the right and in response, the pilot applied left rudder control and braking action. Despite full control inputs, the pilot could not maintain directional control and the airplane ground looped; the left landing gear collapsed and the wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a wheel landing with an 8-knot crosswind from the right, the main landing gear touched down normally and the airplane began the landing roll down the runway centerline. The airplane then drifted to the right and in response, the pilot applied left rudder control and braking action. Despite full control inputs, the pilot could not maintain directional control and the airplane ground looped; the left landing gear collapsed and the wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8249A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25101
- Airframe hours
- 4,334
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 2013
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
- Airport
- SQL · San Carlos Airport, runway 30, 2,600 × 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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,100 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.