ALTURUS, CA, USA
N4590C
Cessna 170B
The pilot was unable to locate a windsock while circling the uncontrolled airport. He had obtained a preflight weather briefing from the FAA Red Bluff Flight Service Station with no adverse weather conditions noted; no local area wind information was obtained. He established a left pattern for runway 31; on final approach he determined there was a left crosswind for which he established a crab angle. On touchdown, the left wing came up, resulting in the right wing scraping the runway and a loss of directional control.
On September 15, 2000, about 1750 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N4590C, was substantially damaged during landing at Alturas, California. Neither the commercial rated pilot nor the three passengers were injured. The registered owner operated the airplane under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The flight originated at Concord, California, at 1530. The pilot stated that he was unable to locate a windsock while circling the uncontrolled airport. He had obtained a preflight weather briefing from the Federal Aviation Administration Red Bluff Flight Service Station, with no adverse weather conditions noted. No local area wind information was obtained. He established a left pattern for runway 31; on final approach he determined there was a left crosswind for which he established a crab angle. On touchdown, the left wing came up, resulting in the right wing scraping the runway and a loss of directional control.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. A factor was the faded improperly maintained windsock.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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