On August 21, 1985, a Cessna 170B (registration N2209D) was involved in an aviation accident near West Chicago, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a ground loop and substantial damage to the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft drifted off runway during touch-and-go landing, leading to ground loop and substantial damage despite light winds.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was executing a touch-and-go landing on runway 15. During the application of power for the takeoff phase, the pilot reported that the airplane began to move sideways relative to the runway centerline. Rather than correcting the drift immediately, the pilot allowed the aircraft to continue drifting off the left side of the paved surface and into the adjacent grass area.
Once on the grass, the aircraft experienced a ground loop. This loss of directional control resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. At the time of the event, wind conditions were calm, with winds from 80 degrees at 5 knots and no reported gusts.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the departure from the runway environment. Examination confirmed that the aircraft left the paved surface during the power application phase of the touch-and-go maneuver. The subsequent ground loop caused significant structural compromise to the aircraft.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a ground loop and substantial damage to the aircraft.