The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a runway in Sunburst, Mont., in a Cessna 170B.
At the time of the accident he estimated that the wind was 38 knots and gusting to 42 knots.
He taxied onto the runway most aligned with the wind and began the takeoff roll. Just as the plane became airborne, a gust of wind lifted the right wing.
The pilot was not able to keep the left wing from hitting the ground and the plane ground looped, resulting in substantial damage.
The NTSB determined the probable causes to be the pilot’s failure to compensate for the strong, gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control during takeoff.
NTSB Identification: WPR13CA117
This February 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
You guys are brutal with the comments, but that goes with the territory. I actually found this piece something to reflect on. It reminded me of the closest I ever came to busting my Cessna185. On a trip back form Vernon BC, I camped the night at Cutbank Mt. Up before dawn, everything was calm. While checking out the plumbing in the pilot lounge it started getting noisy outside. It wasn’t calm anymore. I can’t quite remember the taxiway layout, but by one leg was starting to wear out from rudder and breaking upon reaching the runway. During TO roll, wind quartering from the right, a combination of right rudder and right break, assisted by 300 hp, kept tracking pretty much straight. Beginning with lots of right aileron also, expecting to give up some of that once the left wing started flying. Well, the left wing didn’t, the right wing did, and I immediately turned out left (downwind), and flew away thinking to myself (expletives omitted), “you almost smashed your airplane! That haunted me the rest of the day for 13 hours, all the way back to my home base on the Ohio Pa line. To this day, I know I didn’t’ do the right thing, but have always wondered if an upwind turnout to save the takeoff would have been a viable option. The right thing to do would have been to take off from the ramp area directly into the wind. And, I considered that, but didn’t want to be a rude overnight guest at Cutbank. Years later, a friend smashed her 185 at the same airport on takeoff. I never heard the details, but it makes me wonder. Sometimes things work out, by instinct, luck, or the grace of God. For the 170B in this report the consequence fortunately is metal and money. Some of the stories that cause me to reflect on my past mistakes were unwritten at a much higher price
Jerry
Itt wasn’t a “gusty wind” that “bent” the Cessna! It was poor decision making and or poor airmanship. The NTSB has it’s own way of saying as much.
Where are the journalism standards for this publication? Your headlines for this column are grossly misleading and irresponsible and yes, I will continue to poit this out until this lousy writing is corrected.
What goes through a pilot’s mind when the wind is 38G42 and s/he decides to launch any way; in a tail-dragger, no less?
There’s no cure for stupid!
I’m curious about their destination. If it was back to the same airport or not far away, they would have had to land in those same or similar wind conditions. It may have been fortuitous that they had the mishap on takeoff!
Well, there is one cure but it consists of a six foot hole and a box.
Your right on target, stay in the shack.