Accident Cessna 170 N1396D, Thursday 2 June 2022

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Date:	Thursday 2 June 2022
Time:	13:00 LT
Type:	Cessna 170
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N1396D
MSN:	19972
Year of manufacture:	1951
Total airframe hrs:	3751 hours
Engine model:	Continental O-300A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Houston Southwest Airport, TX (KAXH) - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Winnie, TX (T90)
Destination airport:	Houston Southwest Airport, TX (KAXH)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane encountered a downdraft. The airplane bounced twice and jerked to the left before the pilot attempted to abort the landing. The airplane departed the runway to the left and then returned back to the runway where the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage. The airplane came to rest on its right main wheel, tail wheel, and left wing, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar.
The left landing gear damage was consistent with impact and overload separation. A review of the maintenance records did not reveal any maintenance to the left landing gear attach point. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact anomaly that would have precluded normal operations. It is likely that the landing gear separated from the airplane due to impact forces during the landing.

Probable Cause: The pilot's inability to compensate for a downdraft during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and subsequent loss of directional control.

Accident investigation: