On July 1, 1999, a Cessna 170B (registration N2806C) operated by Robert W. Cellars was involved in an aviation accident near Wasilla, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's inadvertent ground loop during the takeoff roll. A factor in this accident was the a left crosswind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a takeoff attempt with a left crosswind, a student pilot overcorrected for a swerve, causing the aircraft to ground loop and collapse the right main landing gear.
Accident Overview
A solo student pilot was attempting to takeoff in the presence of a 10-knot left crosswind. According to the pilot's account to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the airplane's nose initially swerved to the right. The pilot stated that he then overcorrected for this deviation.
Sequence of Events
As the overcorrection occurred, the aircraft's 29-inch tundra tires made contact with the warm, dry, newly surfaced asphalt. This interaction caused the airplane to ground loop to the left. The ground loop resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear assembly and damage to the right wing.
Pilot Experience
The pilot, who was flying solo, had accumulated a total of 24 hours of flight experience at the time of the accident.