On June 11, 1993, a Cessna 170B (registration N1932C) operated by Larry Wixom was involved in an aviation accident near Janesville, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to a gust of wind from the left. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, a gust of wind from the left caused the aircraft to drift off the runway into the grass, resulting in nose-over damage to the propeller and right wing.
What happened
Upon touchdown, the pilot encountered a sudden gust of wind originating from the left side. This crosswind component caused the airplane to begin turning toward the direction of the wind. The aircraft drifted off the left edge of the runway surface and entered the adjacent grassy area.
As the landing gear contacted the soft ground, it dug into the turf. This interaction caused the aircraft to pitch forward, coming to rest on its nose. The incident resulted in damage to the propeller assembly and the right wing structure.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing due to a gust of wind from the left.