- Date
- December 28, 2019, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Missoula, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4476BCessna 170
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20191228019919A
- Case key
- 100746
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 receiving instruction's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground-loop, and the flight instructor’s failure to adequately monitor the pilot.
Findings · 3
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, who was receiving instruction for his tailwheel endorsement, reported that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer left. He applied corrective control inputs, and the flight instructor called for him to abort the takeoff, but the airplane ground looped and departed the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The instructor reported that the event happened too fast for him to correct the diversion and that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, it began to veer to the left. He applied corrective control inputs, and the flight instructor called for him to abort the takeoff, but the airplane ground looped as it departed the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. Both pilots were flight instructors, and the pilot at the controls was receiving instruction for his tailwheel endorsement. The flight instructor providing instruction stated that the event happened too fast for him to correct the diversion. Neither pilot reported a preaccident mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4476B
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26820
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 3,967.9
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 3, 2019 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- MSO · Missoula, MT
- Destination
- MSO · Missoula, MT
- Airport
- MSO · Missoula Intl, runway 12, 9,501 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 18, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,607 total · 474 in this make and model · 1,708 as pilot in command · 19.8 in the last 90 days · 4.5 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- June 14, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,071.5 total · 2.7 in this make and model · 980.7 as pilot in command · 3.2 in the last 90 days · 0.8 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 17, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.