- Date
- April 11, 1992, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. James, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1966CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920411009629A
- Case key
- 15424
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
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during the attempted takeoff and climb out. A related factor was the rising terrain.
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
The airplane was observed taking off from the pilot's private grass airstrip with a left quartering tailwind. Witnesses stated the tail lifted off prematurely and the airplane turned toward the left. One witness reported the airplane came off the ground and flew at low airspeed (and altitude) across the valley to the north, then appeared to stall.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1966C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26111
- Airframe hours
- 2,429
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tonding, Lowell C.
- Registered owner
- Tonding, Lowell C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 1992 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · None
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,025 total · 8 in this make and model · 950 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.