Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.
NTSB analysis
The pilot was cleared by tower personnel and elected to land with a right quartering tailwind. During the landing roll the tailwheel-equipped airplane began to swerve to the right. The pilot attempted to arrest the swerve by applying full left rudder to no avail. The airplane departed the edge of the runway, nosed over, and came to rest in an inverted position. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained structural damage during the accident. There were no reported anomalies with the airplane's flight controls.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09CA293 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 13, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico
- Nearest airport
- Roswell International Air Cent (ROW)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 170B
- N-number
- N3210A
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
Other records under this N-number
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.