On October 8, 1989, a Cessna 170 (registration N11575) was involved in an aviation accident near Mooresville, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUGHDOWN POINT ON THE UNIDIRECTIONAL RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot took off from a unidirectional airstrip, returned to find a quartering tailwind gusting to 15 knots. After evaluating, he elected to land, touched down halfway down the runway, applied heavy brakes, and steered off the right side into tall grass and soft terrain, causing the aircraft to nose over.
Flight Overview
The pilot departed from a unidirectional airstrip for a local flight. By the time he returned, the wind had shifted to the north and was gusting to 15 knots, resulting in a quartering tailwind for landing.
Landing Attempt
The pilot flew over the runway to evaluate the wind conditions and chose to proceed with the landing. During the landing, the aircraft touched down approximately halfway along the runway.
Runway Excursion and Nose-Over
After committing to land, the pilot applied heavy braking. Subsequently, he steered the aircraft off the right side of the runway at the departure end. The aircraft then encountered tall grass on soft terrain, which caused it to nose over.