LAX95LA250

Factual narrative

On July 12, 1995, at 1830 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170, N3981V, ground looped following a bounced landing at Columbia, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a personal cross-country flight from Medford, Oregon, to Columbia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at Medford on the day of the accident at 1630. Columbia airport has two runways available for use. Runway 17-35 is asphalt and 4,670 feet long, and runway 29-11 is a shorter turf runway 2,000 feet long. The pilot stated that while inbound to the airport he attempted to contact the airport on the CTAF for an airport advisory; however, could not get a response. He then listened to the airport weather from the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) and learned that the winds were from 280 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot elected to land on runway 17. The pilot said that during the landing roll, a strong wind gust came from the right rear and he lost directional control. The pilot noted that he could not regain control, even with full rudder and brake application. The aircraft ground looped into a ditch, damaging the fuselage structure at the landing gear attach points. COLUMBIA AIRPORT HAS TWO RUNWAYS AVAILABLE FOR USE. RUNWAY 17-35 IS ASPHALT AND 4,670 FEET LONG, AND RUNWAY 29-11 IS A SHORTER TURF RUNWAY 2,000 FEET LONG. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE AIRPORT ON THE CTAF FOR AN AIRPORT ADVISORY; HOWEVER, COULD NOT GET A RESPONSE. HE THEN LISTENED TO THE AIRPORT WEATHER FROM THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEM (AWOS) AND LEARNED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, A STRONG WIND GUST CAME FROM THE RIGHT REAR AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL, EVEN WITH FULL RUDDER AND BRAKE APPLICATION. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED INTO A DITCH, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE AT THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12