What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 23, 2025, at approximately 1430 eastern time, a Cessna 170B was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Bowman field (KB10) during a stol (short takeoff and landing) competition event. The pilot was the sole occupant and was not injured.
The weather at the time was clear skies with south winds estimated by witnesses, based on the windsock located at the airport, to be gusting between 15 and 20 mph. The aircraft was on final approach to runway 20. According to witness statements and amateur video footage documenting the sequence of events, the approach appeared stable but slow. As the aircraft crossed the tree line at the north end of the field, it settled to an estimated 20 to 30 feet above ground level. Approximately 200 feet from the intended landing spot, the aircraft’s right wing began to buffet and lower. The aircraft then entered an aerodynamic stall with insufficient altitude to recover. The video shows the left wing contacting the ground and the aircraft rotating approximately 180 degrees before coming to rest upright.
The left wingtip, main landing gear, and propeller struck the ground, causing the aircraft to rotate to the left. The tail subsequently contacted the ground, halting the rotation and causing damage to the tail cone. The aircraft came to rest upright on the damaged landing gear.
The pilot reported no mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft prior to the accident. Examination of the aircraft showed continuity of all flight controls. Damage observed was consistent with impact of the left wingtip, propeller, main landing gear, and tail cone with the ground.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 23, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 EASTERN TIME, A CESSNA 170B WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT BOWMAN FIELD (KB10) DURING A STOL (SHORT TAKEOFF AND LANDING) COMPETITION EVENT. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND WAS NOT INJURED.
THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS CLEAR SKIES WITH SOUTH WINDS ESTIMATED BY WITNESSES, BASED ON THE WINDSOCK LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT, TO BE GUSTING BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 20. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS AND AMATEUR VIDEO FOOTAGE DOCUMENTING THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, THE APPROACH APPEARED STABLE BUT SLOW. AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE TREE LINE AT THE NORTH END OF THE FIELD, IT SETTLED TO AN ESTIMATED 20 TO 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT, THE AIRCRAFT’S RIGHT WING BEGAN TO BUFFET AND LOWER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED AN AERODYNAMIC STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE VIDEO SHOWS THE LEFT WING CONTACTING THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT ROTATING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO REST UPRIGHT.
THE LEFT WINGTIP, MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO THE LEFT. THE TAIL SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED THE GROUND, HALTING THE ROTATION AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL CONE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON THE DAMAGED LANDING GEAR.
THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED CONTINUITY OF ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. DAMAGE OBSERVED WAS CONSISTENT WITH IMPACT OF THE LEFT WINGTIP, PROPELLER, MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND TAIL CONE WITH THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.