# NTSB CEN25LA210: Cessna 170B, N1996C, Fort Morgan, CO, June 15, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 15, 2025, 10:18 local (16:18 UTC)
- Place: Fort Morgan, CO · Runway 14
- Coordinates: 40.335444, -103.80416 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3354&lon=-103.8042&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Denver FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200350
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA210
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200350/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200350
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA210

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane during a gusty crosswind landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 170B, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072306), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was conducting a full stall (3-point) landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after touchdown a wind gust from the right caused the airplane to roll left and ground loop. The fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged during the ground loop when the left landing gear collapsed. Based on the reported wind direction and speed at the airport, there was likely a right crosswind component of about 6 to 9 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1996C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1996C), registered now, S/N 26141, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170B
- Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C145 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c145-series) (registry code 17012, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 26141
- Year built: 1953
- Airframe hours: 3278.5
- Engines: Continental C145-2 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 23, 2024, 4.7 hours before
- Departed: GXY, Greeley, CO
- Destination: FMM, Fort Morgan, CO
- Airport: FMM, Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, runway 14, 5,731 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 85; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 20, 2024; seat: left; flight hours: 2,600 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: FMM
- METAR: KFMM 151615Z AUTO 18013G18KT 10SM CLR A3009 RMK AO2

## 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 20250615007649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250615007649A), Jun 15, 2025: Cessna 170B, Fort Morgan, CO, Substantial damage. Approached rw 14, wind gusting 13-19 knots at 160. Wind gust caught the right wing causing the left wing to contact ground and loop around, severing the left…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200350. 3.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19601806&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB_Form_6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Meteorological data (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19602126&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Meteorological%20Data-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 6 photos, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19601438&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf

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.