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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

January 23, 2023 · Cessna 170 A · N9534A

Mesa, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 23, 2023
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Mesa, AZ
Aircraft
Cessna 170 A (1949)
Tail Number
N9534A
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR23LA096

The pilot receiving instruction was conducting takeoffs and landings to regain tailwheel currency. During the second landing’s roll out, the airplane began to veer left of the runway centerline. The pilot applied correction with right rudder; however, he overcorrected and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot and the flight instructor both applied left rudder and brake to counteract the veer to the right. However, the veer to the right developed into a ground loop and the left main landing gear leg fractured. The airplane dropped onto the fractured end of the landing gear leg and came to rest upright. A metallurgical examination of the fractured landing gear leg revealed small fatigue cracks along the radius of the brake line retainer clip bore and outboard face. These small fatigue cracks concentrated stress in the radius, facilitating a premature overstress fracture due to the stresses on the part during the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll out and the preexisting fatigue cracks in the left main landing gear leg, which resulted in the leg’s premature overstress fracture during the ground loop.

Full Narrative

On January 23, 2023, about 1630 mountain standard time, a Cessna 170A, N9534A, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona. The pilot, flight instructor, and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot receiving instruction, he was conducting takeoffs and landings to regain tailwheel currency. During the landing roll after the second landing, the airplane began to veer to the left. He applied correction with right rudder; however, he overcorrected and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor both applied left rudder and brake to counteract the veer to the right. Despite their corrections, the airplane ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the left main landing gear leg fractured mid span, near the brake line retainer clip bore, and the left wing contacted the runway surface. Postaccident examination and fracture analysis of the left main landing gear leg was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed that the landing gear failed in its final landing due to small fatigue cracks present along the radius of the retainer clip bore and the outboard face. Outside the fatigue cracks, the fracture surface exhibited features consistent with overstress fracture. The fatigue cracks initiated at small corrosion pits along the radius of the bore, and propagated until the final landing, when the remainder of the leg fractured from overstress.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:30 MST
Nearest AirportPhoenix-Mesa Gateway (0nm)
Runway12L
Runway Length9300 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 170 A
Tail NumberN9534A
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-300-D · Reciprocating · 145
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1None
Crew 2Age 70 · Third Class · None
Crew 3Age 69 · First Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind240° @ 3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 7000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point46 F / 18 F
Altimeter29.98 inHg
Observation Time16:31
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data