- Date
- June 11, 2021, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Miles City, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2218BCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210611006359A
- Case key
- 103252
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 takeoff which resulted in a ground loop and collision with terrain.
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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff from a field, the airplane veered to the left. While attempting to correct with right rudder control and brake application, the left main landing gear went into a rut and the airplane subsequently ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right horizontal, and right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2218B
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26438
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 7,022
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 21, 2020
- Destination
- Laurel, MT
- Airport
- Priv, runway W, 1,000 × 100 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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 342 total · 241 in this make and model · 55 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KMLS, 23 nm away
- METAR
- KMLS 112353Z AUTO 28012KT 6SM HZ FEW002 24/M02 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP132 T02391022 10244 20200 58004
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.1 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.