WPR25LA129

On April 10, 2025, at 1207 mountain standard time, a Cessna 170A, N1371D, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Maricopa, Arizona. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot had purchased the tailwheel equipped airplane a couple of days before the accident. He had hired a flight instructor while at Montgomery-Gibbs Field Executive Airport (MYF), San Diego, California, and performed several landings prior to departing for the cross-country flight to Florida. The pilot stated that he had planned a fuel stop at Ak-Chin Regional Airport (A39), Maricopa, Arizona. While on final approach to land at A39, he aborted the first landing due to not being properly aligned with the runway. On the second landing, the approach was stable, and he performed a 3-point landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right, and the right wing contacted the runway surface, while he was correcting with rudder inputs. Subsequently, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and came to rest upright. The pilot reported that witnesses at the airport stated that the right main landing gear failed after the airplane touched down on the runway. The pilot added that the right main landing gear wheel and axle assembly had separated. Additionally, when he walked the runway, he observed a skid mark from the right tire on the runway prior to where the wheel assembly had separated. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing and horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. The airplane was recovered for further examination.