- Date
- May 5, 1989, 06:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- Deming, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3475DCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890505010949A
- Case key
- 17706
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 directional control during the takeoff ground run, resulting in a loss of control and collision with the terrain. The lack of experience in this type of aircraft is considered to be a factor.
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 private plt was taking off to the west, at his farm strip, a 4,000 x 80 foot dirt strip, with calm winds. He stated that he lost directional control and the acft struck a furrow on the left side of the strip. The acft bounced into the air, but according to the plt, did not have flying speed. The plt said there were trees directly in the flight path, so he attempted a shallow left turn. The plt stated that during the turn, the left wing struck more furrows and the acft cartwheeled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3475D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27018
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert S. Irvin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 1989 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- 5T6 · Santa Teresa, NM
- Airport
- NONE, runway 27, 4,000 × 80 ft, dirt
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 369 total · 11 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3475D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.