- Date
- July 5, 1985, 18:00 local (Jul 6, 1985, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Swan Lake, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2432DCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850706029729A
- Case key
- 16718
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt said that prior to departure there was an estimated 14 gals of fuel on board. After aprx 30 minutes of flight the eng lost all pwr and a forced landing was accomplished in a mountainous creek bed. During the landing roll the acft struck a feeled tree and overturned. Post-crash exam of the acft revealed only trace amounts of fuel in the fuel tanks, lines, carburetor bowl, and accelerator pump. No fuel was found in the gascolator. The eng was later test run and operated satisfactorily. The fuel line between the firewall and carburetor was said to be a rubber vacuum line and an unapproved installation. The line was so deteriorated and brittle that it broke into several pieces while being removed for examination. The plt reported he used a stopwatch to keep track of the fuel supply because the fuel gages were inaccurate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2432D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20584
- Airframe hours
- 2,980
- Engine
- Franklin O-300, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David G. Jones
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 1985 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- 8U4 · Spotted Bear, MT
- Airport
- 8U4
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 104 total · 48 in this make and model · 76 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FCA, 40 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.