Cessna 170B N8252A

Summary

On 23 April 2004 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N8252A was involved in an accident near Nampa, Idaho, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 April 2004 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Nampa, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Nampa Municipal (S67)

Coordinates

43.5814, -116.5231

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N8252A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nampa → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA072

Nobody was injured.

The right seat pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the initial part of the landing roll, and his improper handling of the aircraft (excessive braking) as the aircraft departed the side of the runway. Factors include the pilot's lack of recent experience in this make and model aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot in the left seat, who had purchased the aircraft the day prior to the accident, started the flight by making two takeoffs and two full-stop landings. Both of his takeoff rolls were uneventful with no directional control difficulties, but because he was having trouble with directional control during landing, it was decided that the more experienced tail wheel pilot in the right seat would perform a takeoff and landing, during which the pilot in the left seat would keep his hands and feet on the controls in order to feel the control inputs made by the other pilot. The pilot in the right seat experienced "some difficulty" during the takeoff, but he was unsure if it was related to having the left seat pilot on the controls with him. He then made a landing, touching down near the centerline, and pulling the yoke to the "full back" position, while making sure the engine was at idle. Although the initial touchdown was uneventful, soon thereafter the aircraft veered to the right, and the pilot applied left rudder in an attempt to return it to the runway heading. Seeing that the application of rudder alone was not adequate, the pilot applied heavy left brake, but the aircraft continued to the right and exited the right side of the runway. As the aircraft exited the runway, the right seat pilot began applying right brake also, and soon thereafter the aircraft nosed over onto its back. Inspection and testing of the aircraft did not reveal any indication that there had been a brake malfunction or any anomaly in the rudder/tail wheel steering system that would have created an uncontrollable situation. In addition it was determined that although the right seat pilot had about 25 hours in this make and model airplane, it had been "many years" since he had flown one.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.