Primary finding
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The non-certificated pilot was landing a tail-wheel equipped airplane after completion of a local flight. After touchdown, the airplane began to drift toward the right. The pilot corrected toward the left, and the airplane began to ground loop. The right main gear leg broke at a hole drilled through the bottom of the gear strut where the brake mechanism was normally attached. The gear then collapsed. The right wing struck the ground and received damage to the right wing spar and several wing ribs. The pilot did not possess a pilot or medical certificate. He had accrued about 600 hrs of flight experience.
Source record
Factual narrative
On April 19, 1997, about 1210 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170, N4217V, crashed during landing at Delta Junction, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The non-certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. On April 19, 1997, at 1330, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), that he was landing on runway 08. After touchdown, the airplane began to drift toward the right. The pilot corrected toward the left and the airplane began to ground loop. The right main gear leg broke at a hole drilled through the bottom of the gear strut where the brake mechanism is normally attached. The gear then collapsed. The right wing struck the ground and received damage to the right wing spar and several wing ribs. The pilot indicated he does not possess a pilot's certificate, or a medical certificate. He reported that he has accrued about 600 hours of flight experience. -