Cessna 170B N4251 accident near Meridian, Mississippi

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the landing flare, the airplane began to drift to the right, and then yawed left upon touchdown. The pilot applied right rudder to compensate, and the airplane continued to yaw to the left while skidding to the right. The right wing and nose subsequently contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot commented that had he, “…recognized the sudden left yaw early enough, perhaps a go-around would have been enough to straighten it out.”

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA351 for the full record.