Event CHI93LA307

Factual narrative

On July 31, 1993, about 1230 hours central daylight time, a Cessna 170, N4411V, piloted by the private pilot/airplane owner, was damaged beyond economical repair during a bounced landing at Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The pilot and three passengers reported minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Phillipsburg, Kansas about 0900 hours. The pilot stated when they arrived at the destination airport, the surface winds were generally light and out of the south, "...with an occasional gust from the west." The pilot reported the approach to Runway 19 was normal with some "buffeting" which she attributed to heat. The pilot stated as they entered the flare there was a violent buffeting which "...caused us to stall higher than expected, and sent us bouncing and veering to the left of the runway... ." She reported the second bounce "...caused a loud crashing noise that left the plane pulling sharply to the left...As we were on downwind, the airport manager contacted us...the tailwheel had come off... ." The pilot decided to make a wheel landing on the grass strip which paralleled Runway 19. She stated the approach appeared to be "...within normal limits and felt good except for the buffeting that I attribute to the heat...I tried a flat flare to slow down and in all honesty the next thing...the left wing was dipping down to the ground... ." The pilot attempted to "bring it back", but the right main landing gear struck a drainage ditch, and the airplane came to rest in a bean field. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE SURFACE WINDS WERE GENERALLY LIGHT AND OUT OF THE SOUTH, WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OUT OF THE WEST. SHE REPORTED WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 19, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, THERE WAS A 'LOUD CRASHING NOISE' AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. SHE ABORTED THAT LANDING ATTEMPT AND REENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR ANOTHER APPROACH. GROUND PERSONNEL ADVISED HER THE TAILWHEEL HAD SEPARATED DURING THE BOUNCED LANDING. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. SHE STATED THE APPROACH APPEARED TO BE NORMAL EXCEPT FOR '...BUFFETING THAT I ATTRIBUTE TO HEAT...THE NEXT THING...THE LEFT WING WAS DIPPING DOWN TO THE GROUND... .' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH AND CAME TO REST IN A BEAN FIELD. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12