Summary
On August 04, 2013, a Cessna 170B (N4251) was involved in an incident near Meridian, MS. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the landing flare, the airplane began to drift to the right, and then yawed left upon touchdown. The pilot applied right rudder to compensate, and the airplane continued to yaw to the left while skidding to the right. The right wing and nose subsequently contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA351. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4251.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the landing flare, the airplane began to drift to the right, and then yawed left upon touchdown. The pilot applied right rudder to compensate, and the airplane continued to yaw to the left while skidding to the right. The right wing and nose subsequently contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot commented that had he, “…recognized the sudden left yaw early enough, perhaps a go-around would have been enough to straighten it out.”
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA351