Accident Details
On October 13, 2008, at 1453 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170A, registration N9100A, was substantially damaged when it ground looped during landing at Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico. The aircraft was newly registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and the private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The flight originated from SAF at approximately 1400.
Sequence of Events
According to the instructor's accident report, he was providing instruction to the pilot, who held a private pilot certificate with a glider-aero tow only rating, in her recently-purchased conventional landing gear airplane. After performing various maneuvers in the practice area, they returned to SAF and made a normal full flaps landing on runway 20. The pilot was flying, and the instructor was handling the flaps and coaching. Upon touchdown, the tail wheel bounced slightly, and the airplane began to drift to the left. The instructor attempted to correct the drift with opposite rudder. The airplane swerved to the right and tilted left. The left wingtip struck the ground, and the airplane nosed down.
Damage
The left wing spar and aileron were bent.
Wind Conditions
At the time of the accident, the recorded wind at SAF was 240 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Instructor's Comments
Asked how the accident could have been prevented, the instructor stated that he needed more time in the airplane, he overestimated the pilot's ability to control the airplane, he allowed her to attempt a 30-degree crosswind landing, and he should have taken control and made the landing in the existing wind conditions.