CESSNA 170

Full Narrative

On October 13, 2008, at 1453 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N9100A, newly registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it ground looped on landing at Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The flight originated at SAF approximately 1400.

According to the instructor's accident report, he was giving the pilot, who held a private pilot certificate with a glider-aero tow only rating, instruction in her recently-purchased conventional landing gear airplane. After performing various maneuvers in the practice area, they returned to SAF and made a normal full flaps landing on runway 20. The pilot was flying and the instructor was handling the flaps and coaching the student. Upon touchdown, the tail wheel bounced slightly and the airplane began to drift to the left. The instructor attempted to correct the drift with opposite rudder. The airplane swerved to the right and tilted left. The left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane nosed down. The left wing spar and aileron were bent. At the time of the accident. the recorded SAF wind was 240 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots.

Asked how the accident could have been prevented, the instructor said that he needed more time in the airplane, he overestimated the pilot's ability to control the airplane, he allowed her to attempt a 30-degree crosswind landing, and he should have taken control of the airplane and made the landing in the existing wind conditions.