Event SEA97LA160

Factual narrative

On July 6, 1997, at 1700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N211R, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, nosed over after the pilot was unable to maintain directional control during the landing roll at Jackson, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight had departed from Guernsey, Wyoming, earlier in the day. Witnesses to the accident reported that the airplane was having trouble maintaining a straight landing. One witness reported that it (airplane) "was really wobbly." After the accident the pilot stated to airport personnel that as the airplane was just about to touch down, a gust of wind hit the airplane and he (pilot) was unable to "keep the airplane going straight." The aircraft veered to the left side of the runway and onto the left main landing gear and wing. The airplane then veered back to the right (centerline) and nosed over. The pilot reported in a written statement that the airplane was stopped on the runway when a gust of wind tipped the airplane upon end and nosed over. The Jackson Hole Airport Incident Report indicates that skid marks on the runway were measured for approximately 336 feet before the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. At the time of the accident, the Jackson Airport was reporting winds from 240 degrees at nine knots, with gusting winds to 16 knots. The pilot reported to airport personnel that a gust of wind struck the airplane as it was about to touch down. The pilot stated that he was unable to maintain directional control as the airplane veered off the runway and subsequently nosed over. At the time of the accident, the airport wind conditions were reported as the wind from 240 degrees at nine knots with gusts to 16 knots. The pilot was landing on runway 18. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12