Primary finding
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a second touch-and-go landing with the wind from 20 degrees to the right of the nose at 14 knots, the airplane yawed to the right off the runway into a water retention area and nosed over. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by executing an immediate go-around.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 6, 1994, about 1610 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N9534A, registered to James H. Layman Jr., collided with terrain while landing at the Boca Raton Airport, Boca Raton, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The flight originated from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 20 minutes earlier. The pilot stated that the flight departed the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and flew to the Boca Raton Airport where he performed one touch-and-go landing. The flight remained in the traffic pattern for another touch-and-go landing. After touchdown on the 150-foot wide runway the airplane yawed to the right, veered off the runway into a water retention area, and nosed over. When asked how could this accident have been prevented the pilot stated "execute an immediate go-around." The measurement from the centerline of the runway to the edge of the water retention area is 200 feet. According to a Florida DOT public transportation specialist one (PTS1), the water retention area is outside the clear safety zone of the runway. A weather observation taken at 1547 at the Pompano Beach Airpark indicated that the wind was from 070 degrees at 14 knots. The Pompano Beach Airpark is located about 184 degrees magnetic and 8 nautical miles south of the accident airport. -