# NTSB ANC04LA061: Cessna 170B, N2631D, Dillingham, AK, June 6, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2004, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Dillingham, AK - Coordinates: 59.066665, -158.699996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.0667&lon=-158.7000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59396 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59396/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA061 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over during the landing flare/touchdown. A factor contributing to the accident was soft tundra terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - terrain condition - tundra - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was planning to test a remote tundra-covered area for its suitability as a landing strip. The area selected was adjacent to a river. The pilot said he configured the airplane with 20 degrees of flaps, and touched the main landing gear tires on the tundra to test the surface. The tires dug into the soft tundra and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the propeller, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2004, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N2631D, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while landing on soft terrain, about 8 miles west of Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 6, the pilot reported that he was planning to test a remote tundra-covered area for its suitability as a landing strip. The area was about 2,000 feet square adjacent to the Snake River. The pilot said he configured the airplane with 20 degrees of flaps, and touched the main landing gear tires on the tundra to test the surface. The tires dug into the soft tundra and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the propeller, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2631D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2631D), registered now, S/N 20783, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 170B - Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20783 - Airframe hours: 3507 - Engines: Continental O-300C 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Grant R. Humphreys - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2003, 104 hours before - Departed: PADL, Dillingham, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 7, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 1,240 total, 1,150 in this make and model, 1,170 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 125° at 5 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: PADL, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040606013149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040606013149A), Jun 6, 2004: Cessna 170B, Dillingham, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Attempts to contact the pilot by telephone were unsuccessful. In a telephone conversation with the NTSB the pilot reported he was planning to test a… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.