No fatalities

3 May 2014: CESSNA 170B — Soldotna, AK

Soldotna, AK, United States

On 3 May 2014, a CESSNA 170B UNDESIGNAT was involved in an aviation accident near Soldotna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to recognize a wind shift, resulting in a tailwind landing, loss of control, and ground loop. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot lost control during a solo landing in a tailwheel airplane, resulting in a ground loop and substantial damage to the right wing. Winds shifted to a slight tailwind.

Incident Overview

A student pilot practicing solo takeoff and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a loss of control during the landing roll, leading to a ground loop. The incident occurred on a dry, hard surfaced runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

Flight Conditions

At the beginning of the flight, winds were light and variable. However, by the time of the last landing, the wind had shifted to a slight tailwind.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Damage

The ground loop resulted in substantial damage to the right wing of the airplane.

Contributing factors

Causes

Student/instructed pilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation