Loss of Control on Ground: Cessna 170B, N3016A; accident occurred October 29, 2019 at Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG), Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico

 

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:  https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

https://registry.faa.gov/N3016A

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Accident Number: GAA20CA082

Date & Time: 10/29/2019, 0930 MST

Registration: N3016A

Aircraft: Cessna 170

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of control on ground

Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis 

The pilot receiving instruction for his tailwheel endorsement reported that he and the flight instructor were performing touch-and-go landings on the asphalt surface runway. The airplane was equipped with toe brakes, and after landing, he added power to abort the landing and applied right rudder as the airspeed accelerated to 30 knots. He recalled that he held the right rudder pedal application "too long" and that the airplane veered right. He attempted to correct the right veer by applying left rudder but overcorrected, and the instructor took the controls and applied full deflection of the right rudder. The airplane did not respond to the instructor's right rudder input, and he then applied left aileron. The pilot kept his feet on the pedals and inadvertently applied left brake. The airplane was side loaded to the right, and the right wing struck the ground. The instructor held his control inputs to direct the airplane to the right, but the right wing struck the ground again before the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The wheels dug into dirt on the left side of the runway, the elevator struck the ground, and the right wing struck the ground a third time before the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot receiving instruction failure to maintain directional control and his inadvertent left brake pedal application during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground-loop.

Findings

Aircraft

Directional control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Brake - Unintentional use/operation (Cause)

Personnel issues

Aircraft control - Student pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing

Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Runway excursion

Attempted remediation/recovery

Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Private

Age: 73, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land

Seat Occupied: Right

Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider

Restraint Used:

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/09/2019

Occupational Pilot: Yes

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/13/2019

Flight Time:  (Estimated) 7041 hours (Total, all aircraft), 589 hours (Total, this make and model), 6220 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 67.5 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12.3 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private

Age: 67, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider

Restraint Used:

Instrument Rating(s):None 

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: BasicMed

Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/15/2019

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/07/2019

Flight Time:  (Estimated) 753 hours (Total, all aircraft), 2.9 hours (Total, this make and model), 657 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 25.4 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 6.2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1.4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N3016A

Model/Series: 170 B

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1953

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: 25660

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel

Seats: 2

Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/27/2019, Unknown

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2200 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection:

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 3901.5 Hours

Engine Manufacturer: Continental

ELT: C126 installed

Engine Model/Series: C145-2H

Registered Owner: Perry Aeronautical Services Llc

Rated Power: 145 hp

Operator: Perry Aeronautical Services Llc

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KAEG, 5837 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 0815 UTC

Direction from Accident Site: 141°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Visibility:   10 Miles

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:

Wind Direction:

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:

Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: -6°C / -13°C

Precipitation and Obscuration:  No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Albuquerque, NM (AEG)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Albuquerque, NM (AEG)

Type of Clearance: VFR

Departure Time: 0825 MST

Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Double Eagle Ii (AEG)

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 5837 ft

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 22

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 7398 ft / 100 ft

VFR Approach/Landing: Touch and Go; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude: 35.145278, -106.795278 (est)