NTSB ERA25LA312 — 2025-08-23 · Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States

Current FAA registration · N2589V

Make / Model: CESSNA 170
Year of manufacture: 1948 · 77 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES (145 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19560727
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A278DD

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2589V Cessna 170 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was approaching his destination airport for landing. During the landing roll, the airplane lifted off but then descended back to the runway and veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder, but the airplane then ground looped to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane subsequently nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, aft fuselage, and right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 32 and the report wind was from 210° at 8 knots, which would have resulted in the left quartering tailwind. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on operation
— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_ERA25LA312.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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