The International Cessna^® 170 Association

According to the accident report form submitted by the pilot, he was departing runway 33 (8,500 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). The pilot stated that as the tail came up, it went "hard right" and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with the addition of brake and rudder; however the airplane departed the runway to the left and nosed over. Both wings were crushed aft and wrinkled, the gearbox was wrinkled, and both main landing gear assembly were crushed aft. Winds around the time of the accident were recorded as 230 degrees at 3 knots. An examination of the airplane systems, conducted by an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic, revealed no anomalies.

Muscle spasm.
Unseen rabbit or squirrel on runway.
Fumbled his hot coffee.

That's all I have.

I wonder if the aircraft in question still had the parking brake installed?

I once tried to tailwheel transition a friend of mine in the C170. He had large feet. Every time he tried to apply rudder he also applied brake. Talk about scaring the life out of you! I have found the old style, or original rudder/brake pedals can be tricky.

I wondered how long it would be before my follies showed up on the forums… I wasn’t in a hurry to post it, I still get sick thinking about it. But, maybe someone will learn something from my mistakes.

First, the synopsis the NTSB published has a few errors. The airplane didn’t turn hard right as stated. Below is what I filled out on the FAA accident report:

“There was a private jet, a C172 and a Bonanza ahead of me for take-off and another private jet behind me. The 172 waited for a minute or so before taking off behind the private jet. The Bonanza took position as the 172 was rolling and started rolling as soon as the 172 lifted off. I made my call on the CTAF and entered the runway shortly after the Bonanza had lifted off. I lined up on the center line and began my take-off roll. As the tail came up the airplane veered sharply to the left. I applied right rudder and brake but the airplane continued to veer left off of the runway. I pulled power but the airplane nosed over shortly after leaving the runway and the prop struck the ground. The airplane slowed considerably before the nose dug in and the airplane did a slow flip over the nose and landed on its back.”

After having some time to think about it and talk to a few instructors with a lot of TW time I have come to the following conclusion about what happened…

I had just purchased the airplane the day before and checked out with a CFI at an airport with an altitude of 900 feet or so. I flew the airplane home and both stops along the way were at low altitude airports without incident. I had a mental picture of the view out the windshield at take-off and landing that included a visual speed reference.

Taking off from Loveland at 5000 feet I probably lifted the tail a little too fast with too little airspeed. At that point gyroscopic progression caused the airplane to veer left and there was not enough rudder authority to correct. There was enough lift in the wings to make the right brake in-effective. I pulled power and the airplane nosed over when it hit the dirt & grass.

The winds at the time were light and variable. It is possible that a small cross-wind or tail-wind gust contributed but I believe that the GP was the main factor.

I had a couple of opportunities once the gyroscopic progression turned the plane left to save the aircraft. First, by pulling power I removed the thrust helping to pull the airplane forward. When I did this the airplane wanted to slow and with the center of gravity already to the right it helped keep the airplane turning left. There was nothing off of the side of the runway to hit, just flat grass and dirt. If I had kept on the throttle the rudder would have soon had enough airflow over it to allow it to control the airplane and I could have just lifted off from the grass. Very ugly and embarrassing but no damage. Obviously this tactic would not be an option if there had been obstacles to hit.

Second, at the point I pulled the throttle I could have planted the tail wheel and the tail wheel would have helped with directional control. I didn’t have enough airspeed to fly so pulling back on the elevator would not have caused the airplane to lift off. I believe the end result of this would have been no damage or maybe a low speed ground loop that bent a gear leg and even in the worst case tipped and bent a wing tip. Still ugly and embarrassing but better then what happened.

When I exited the runway the power was off and the tail was up. The dirt and grass provided enough resistance to start the airplane leaning forward. Once the prop struck dirt the nose lowered more and a very slow motion flip followed. At one point I thought that it was going to stop and go back on it’s wheels but no such luck.

Immediately after the accident I had a major case of denial. I figured that the parking brake issue must have gotten me (yes that was still installed) or the airplane had a bad alignment problem. But as I thought about it more I didn’t have any trouble with tracking previously with the airplane. The brake issue couldn’t have been it because I had no problems taxiing or tracking the center line with the tail on the ground. Besides I could distinctly remember the right rudder moving freely to the floor. Reality sucks!

It’s always bad when you wreck an airplane. The only bright side to this one was no injuries. But totaling a classic because of a series of rooky mistakes is pretty hard to swallow. Not sure if I will consider buying another one or not. Either way It will be a few years of renting before the insurance rates come back down to where I can afford them..

If anyone is looking for a project or parts airplane here is the link to the insurance company auction - http://www.aigaviation.com/aviationsalv ... ano=N2232D

I would sure like to see it go to someone who would be able to re-build it instead of just being parted out but that’s out of my hands now.

Thanks for sharing, good food for thought.

I have a nose bowl if someone does restore this.

What a bummer for you' Just thank god you are able to still sit up and are able to pass on the factual details.

This is an experience I had as a low time pilot. I was doing some "controlled field" solo work during my pilot training. I was requested by the tower to expedite my take-off so that he wouldn't have to make me wait for a 707 on approach to land. This meant taking off a little too closely behind a twin Cessna. To say the least "This is the one that scared me the most"! It was my first and only encounter with "wake" turbulence. I was in a '49 Tri Pacer and just shortly after I lifted off the plane did almost a 1/2 roll and a 90* turn to the right. For just a second I had no clue what had happened and only the forgiving mannerism of that "milk-stool, that responded very lady-like to my over zealous control input, kept me from crashing! The guy in the tower asked "97A - what are your intentions?" I advised that as soon as I got back to my little airport I was going to change my shorts! He asked "Sir did you intend to do a roll on take off or was it 'wake turbulence'"? I told him "Sir I don't know wake turbulence from dog-doodoo but I sure had no intention to do anything but go straight and right-side up to my destination. He did apologize for send me out too soon.

From what you describe I would make a guess that your un-commanded runway departure may have been just that. If you have ever seen Barry Sanders demo with the wing-tip smoke generators on his Sea Fury at Oshkosh you may understand the awesome power of the vorticies generated by a plane no heavier than a Bonanza. Those things crawl across the ground and writhed like a live dangerous reptile. If the winds were 3K then those dragons might have just snuck up and given you the worst possible scenario.

Good luck as you work through this and don't give up on the 170 - there is no plane that can beat the "dragon" if one happens to get in it's clutches.

Thanks for sharing Scott.

Until one has the unfortunate circumstance to be involved with an accident and then the public NTSB report, we tend to really on the fact the report is accurate. I'm finding more and more the reports don't accurately tell the story.

A few years ago a friend had an in flight fire on takeoff. He fought the smoke in the cockpit for an extremely abbreviated pattern to land back on the runway safely. A lessor pilot probably would not have been successful I'm sure.

As he rolled on the runway he intentionally turned off the runway thinking he did not want to block it.

The NTSB report read, pilot lost directional control on roll out and left runway. No mention the aircraft was on fire.

Which engine package did you have / had, (sorry) on your plane. Stock 145 or 180hp

You mentioned CTAF, what was the runway surface ?!?

Curious

Chris

Well done Scott. It takes a helluva guy to admit when he's made a mistake and a BETTER pilot to do the same. Sorry about your misfortune. Keep flying.