What happened
On April 10, 2025, a Cessna 170A, registration N1371D, was involved in an accident near Maricopa, Arizona. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use. The pilot had recently purchased the aircraft and had performed several landings at Montgomery-Gibbs Field Executive Airport in San Diego, California, prior to beginning a cross-country flight to Florida.
While approaching Ak-Chin Regional Airport (A39) for a planned fuel stop, the pilot aborted an initial landing attempt because the aircraft was not properly aligned with the runway. On the second approach, the pilot executed a stable 3-point landing. During the subsequent landing roll, the aircraft veered to the right while the pilot was attempting to correct the direction with rudder inputs. This caused the right wing to contact the runway surface. The aircraft then veered left and exited the runway, coming to rest in an upright position. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft showed substantial damage to the right wing and the horizontal stabilizer. Witnesses at the airport reported that the right main landing gear failed after the aircraft touched down. The pilot noted that the right main landing gear wheel and axle assembly had separated from the aircraft. Additionally, a skid mark from the right tire was observed on the runway at a point preceding the separation of the wheel assembly.