No fatalities

8 Aug 2015: CESSNA 170A — East Haddam, CT

East Haddam, CT, United States

On 8 Aug 2015, a CESSNA 170A was involved in an aviation accident near East Haddam, CT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and excessive use of brakes, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose over. 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

During landing roll after encountering geese on short final, the pilot over-applied brake, causing the airplane to veer left and nose over, resulting in substantial empennage damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported an incident that occurred during the landing roll after a routine approach. While on short final, two flocks of geese departed the field in front of the airplane. The pilot noted that no immediate evasive action was necessary. However, during the landing roll, the airplane began to swerve and veered off the runway to the left.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that he "over-applied brake" in an attempt to correct the swerve. Subsequently, while trying to avoid the runway edge lights, the airplane nosed over. The pilot also reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. No other damage or injuries were mentioned in the report.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedIncorrect use/operation

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation