- Date
- July 4, 1991, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Prospect Creek, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3158ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910704026229A
- Case key
- 5572
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) by the pilot, and his delay in reversing course (remedial action). The terrain and weather conditions were related factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
In the area of a mountain pass, the pilot entered conditions of rain that quickly turned to clouds and instrument conditions. He attempted a 180 degree turn back to VFR conditions, but encountered rising terrain while flying above the treetops. Subsequently, the aircraft mushed into trees and crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3158A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25400
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-C, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Daniel E. Wheeler
- Registered owner
- Daniel E. Wheeler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- 1AK1 · Crevice Creek, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,155 total · 1,519 in this make and model · 2,080 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.