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ANC10CA052

2010-06-11 · Palmer, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 4AK6

Current FAA registration · N2886C

Make / Model
CESSNA 170B
Year of manufacture
1954 · 56 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES (145 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19550902
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A2EEE0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in variable wind conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight, he landed his tailwheel airplane on a hard-surfaced runway. During the landing roll, he said he lost directional control, and the airplane ground-looped to the right, damaging the left wing, left aileron, and left elevator. The pilot indicated the wind was 5 to 8 knots and variable in direction. He noted that had he been more aware of its variable direction, he would have slowed his taxi speed and anticipated a possible wind shift. He said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot reported that at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight, he landed his tailwheel airplane on a hard-surfaced runway. During the landing roll, he said he lost directional control, and the airplane ground-looped to the right, damaging the left wing, left aileron, and left elevator. The pilot indicated the wind was 5 to 8 knots and variable in direction. He noted that had he been more aware of its variable direction, he would have slowed his taxi speed and anticipated a possible wind shift. He said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_ANC10CA052.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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