Georgia 170 in altercation with fire ants

[hsjrev]

Is this anyone we know?

Regis#: 170LB Make/Model: C170 Description:
Date: 10/13/2002 Time: 1730
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: WATKINSVILLE State: GA Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT STRUCK AN ANT HILL, WATKINSVILLE, GA

[GAHorn]

It's a TIC170A member's airplane. Ant hills can be large, soft, wheel-grabbing, ground-loop-inducing, nearly invisible obstacles.

[flyguy]

THIS IS FROM THE NTSB ACCIDENT REPORT AND IT IS ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF HOW NOT TO TREAT CLASSIC AIRPLANES.

On October 13, 2002, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 170B, registered to and operated by the pilot, collided with an ant hill during an attempted takeoff from a pasture near Watkinsville, Georgia. The personal flight operated under the provisions Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The accident occurred during the initial takeoff from the pasture in Watkinsville, Georgia.

The pilot landed in the pasture to assist another pilot who had landed because of an airplane problem. Unable to provide assistance to the other airplane, the Cessna 170B pilot elected to takeoff with the intention of seeking help. During the takeoff roll, the right main landing gear collided with an ant hill. The pilot reported that the collision damaged the right main landing gear, and directional control was lost. The subsequent airplane gyrations also damaged the left wing assembly.

[susang777]

He happened by the little private grass strip where our C170 was based for a while (remember the squirrel story?) not long ago, and his airplane was all fixed up good as new. Seemed like a really nice guy, from what John said (I wasn't there). Can't remember his name, sorry.

Fire ants are nasty little critters, aren't they? Makes you think twice about making sure to walk up and down the runway area before you take off, though. Not something you normally have to do, so not obvious, especially if it looks pretty good from where you're standing.