N60PECessna 170B · 1952

On August 16, 2014, about 0930 central daylight time, a Cessna model 170B airplane, N60PE, was substantially damaged while landing at the Augusta Municipal Airport (3AU), Augusta, Kansas. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area personal flight that departed about 0800.The pilot reported that during the accident flight he had successfully completed 6 landings at several airports before deciding to return to the departure airport for a final landing. He stated that the tail wheel-equipped airplane bounced upon touchdown on runway 18 (4,201 feet by 60 feet, asphalt). In an attempt to recover from the bounced landing, he maintained pitch attitude to allow the airplane to settle back to the runway. After the second touchdown, the airplane began a left swerve. The pilot stated that he was unable to regain directional control of the airplane and it subsequently departed off the left side of the runway. The airplane came to rest in a nose-down attitude in a grassy area located alongside the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have prevented its normal operation during the accident flight. Additionally, the pilot stated that the cause of the accident was his failure to maintain focused on the task of landing the airplane instead of another task such as where to exit the runway following the landing.

A postaccident examination, completed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed substantial damage to the left wing, engine firewall, and fuselage landing gear support box structure. The right wing tip exhibited scrapes on its lower surface, consistent with contact with the runway surface. The FAA examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or its flight control systems. Additionally, control cable continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the tail wheel assembly.

The closest aviation weather reporting station was located about 8 miles northwest of 3AU at the Colonel James Jabara Airport (AAO), Wichita, Kansas. At 0954, the AAO weather observing system reported: wind 240 degrees at 8 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky conditions, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point 20 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.87 inches of mercury.