# NTSB CHI03LA275: Cessna 170, Neche, ND, August 21, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 20, 2003, 20:30 local (Aug 21, 2003, 01:30 UTC)
- Place: Neche, ND
- Coordinates: 48.979442, -97.542778
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.9794&lon=-97.5428&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 57783
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA275
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57783/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA275

## Probable cause

The unsuitable terrain encountered during the precautionary landing.  Contributing factors to the accident include the pilot becoming lost/disoriented, his decision to perform a precautionary landing, and the soft terrain encountered during landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose over, landing - roll
  - became lost/disoriented, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The airplane was damaged during a precautionary landing in a soft agricultural field.  The pilot stated the airplane drifted south of the planned route and he was unable to locate the intended destination airport.  The pilot reported he decided to make a precautionary landing in an agricultural field.  The pilot stated that during the landing roll the aircraft encountered soft terrain and nosed over.

## Factual narrative

On August 20, 2003, at 2030 central daylight time, a Canadian registered Cessna 170, CFGRD, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing near Neche, North Dakota.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan.  The flight departed a private airstrip near Irma, Alberta-Canada, at 1515 and had the intended destination of Altona Airport (CJL6), Altona, Manitoba-Canada.

According to the pilot's written statement, during the cross-country flight the airplane drifted south of the planned route and he was unable to locate CJL6.  The pilot reported he decided to make a precautionary landing in an agricultural field.  The pilot stated that during the landing roll the aircraft encountered soft terrain and nosed over.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CFGRD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 170
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 19046
- Engines: Continental O-300 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PVT, Irma
- Destination: CJL6, Altona

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 270° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observed at: HCO, 27 nm away

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.

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