SEA96LA153

Factual narrative

On July 12, 1996, approximately 1600 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3156A, sustained substantial damage when it ground-looped during landing at Lewistown, Montana. The private pilot and his passenger were uninjured. A VFR flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated at Cut Bank, Montana about two hours earlier. The ELT did not actuate. The pilot stated that he had approached with a moderate crosswind, and at about 3 feet above the runway the wind died or reversed. The airplane bounced; during the bounce the wind started to turn the airplane. The pilot was unable to control the directional change and the airplane ground-looped, damaging the left wing tip and left elevator tip. . The pilot stated that he made an approach to land on the runway with a moderate crosswind. He stated that at about 3 feet above the runway, the wind died or reversed. The airplane bounced; during the bounce, the wind started to turn the airplane. The pilot was unable to control the directional change, and the airplane ground-looped, sustaining substantial damage. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12