Prater's Landing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Trenton, Georgia 30752
Sunday, June 10, 2007 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, while landing to the southeast, the C-170A left main landing gear "impacted [a] slight knoll" on the "narrow" turf runway, which caused the "plane to begin [a] right turn." The pilot then applied the left brake, but a "gust" from the left "push[ed the] aircraft right." More braking was applied, "with little or no effect." The airplane "ran off" the right side of the runway, and continued down an embankment toward trees bounding the airport. The pilot applied "both brakes with little effect." The pilot "let off [the] left brake just before impact" in order to steer the fuselage between two trees and minimize the damage and injury potential. The accident airport was the pilot's home field, and was equipped with one windsock. The pilot reported that the wind was "down the runway," and that the "very very dry" conditions of the turf significantly reduced braking effectiveness. The nearest recorded aviation weather, from an airport located approximately 22 miles to the northeast of the accident airport, reported winds of 6 knots from 320 degrees. The pilot reported a total of 2,290 hours of flight experience, 1,290 hours of which were in make and model.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll which resulted in an impact with trees. Factors in the accident were the uneven narrow runway, and a wind gust.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Trenton
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30752
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 345623N
Event Location Longitude 0853519W
Event Location Airport Prater's Landing
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1400
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID CHA
Elevation of weather observation facility 682
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22105
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2007 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office ATL FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1206D
NTSB Number NYC07CA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model C-170A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 19760
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 6900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stephen W. Wickizer
Aircraft Owner Street Address 57 Woodland Court
Aircraft Owner City Trenton
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30752
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APT
Departure City Jasper
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Trenton
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 7 2007 1:00PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --