Cessna 170B N4584C accident near Knoxville, Tennessee

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing roll in a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and a subsequent ground loop.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane approached the destination airport, and while in the traffic pattern there, the airplane encountered a crosswind. During the base-to-final turn, he was dissatisfied with the airplane’s altitude and performed a go-around. On the subsequent approach, he used rudder inputs to maintain alignment with the runway centerline. After touchdown, the airplane drifted right, and as it decelerated, he applied right rudder but was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and ground-looped, coming to rest on the adjacent terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wingtip and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA25LA317 for the full record.