- Date
- November 8, 2024, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1977CCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: 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
- 20241108016279A
- Case key
- 195469
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during a touch-and-go maneuver, the airplane veered left, and he corrected with right rudder pedal input. However, the airplane continued to veer left, and the pilot closed the throttle and applied the brakes. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped and the right wing impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot stated that about 15 minutes after the accident the wind report showed a quartering tailwind. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1977C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26122
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 5,592
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2024
- Departed
- L00 · Rosamond, CA
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- WJF · General Wm J Fox Airfield, runway 24, 7,201 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 219 total · 154 in this make and model · 152 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 5 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KWJF
- METAR
- METAR KWJF 082056Z 12004KT 10SM CLR 19/M15 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP202 T01941150 58028=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.