Cessna 170B accident near Homer, Alaska, February 27, 2009
On February 27, 2009 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2332D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Homer, Alaska (Homer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a ground loop and substantial damage to the airplane. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind, and the pilot's decision to land downwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2009 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Homer, Alaska · Homer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2332D · registry record · serial 20484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel airplane on a hard-surfaced runway with approximately a 9 knot tailwind. During the landing roll, the airplane swerved, and when he could not correct the swerve with the rudder and brakes, he attempted to rapidly apply engine power to gain more control, but the engine hesitated, and the airplane did a ground loop to the right, striking the left wing on the runway. During the ground loop the left aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 48 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK
- Destination: Homer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 9 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:15 pm from PAHO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC09CA024.