On June 8, 1984, a Cessna 170B (registration N3279A) was involved in an aviation accident near Belen, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of directional control during takeoff, which led to the aircraft leaving the runway and nosing over due to heavy braking. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft rolled off the left side of the runway during takeoff, requiring heavy braking to avoid a fence and resulting in an inverted nose-over. Both occupants were pilots.
What happened
During the initial phase of the takeoff roll, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft. The airplane drifted laterally off the left side of the runway surface. In an attempt to prevent the aircraft from striking a nearby fence, heavy braking was applied. This abrupt deceleration caused the nose gear to collapse, resulting in the aircraft nosing over and coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
Post-accident examination focused on the mechanical condition of the landing gear and control systems. Investigators noted that both occupants aboard were rated pilots. However, their accounts regarding the sequence of events were contradictory. It could not be definitively determined which pilot was manipulating the flight controls or serving as the pilot in command at the time of the incident.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the loss of directional control during the critical takeoff phase. The subsequent structural failure of the nose gear was a direct result of the heavy braking maneuver executed to avoid a collision with a static object (the fence). The inability to resolve conflicting pilot statements regarding command authority remains an unresolved aspect of the investigation.
Probable cause
Loss of directional control during takeoff, which led to the aircraft leaving the runway and nosing over due to heavy braking.