- Date
- January 12, 2017, 14:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hayden, AL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1387DCessna 170
- Defining event
- Approach: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170112006239A
- Case key
- 94601
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 trees during the approach.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The airplane was on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern to the turf runway. The private pilot recalled that the airplane was 800 ft above ground level (agl) and aligned with the runway, but he had no further recollection of the flight. A witness observed the airplane flying "low and slow" about 20 ft agl when the nose pitched upward, the airplane "stalled," and the left wing struck the ground. The airport owner stated that the trees at the approach end of the runway were damaged, and broken branches were found scattered at the base of the trees immediately after the accident. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage consistent with collision with trees and terrain. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The airplane was on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern to the turf runway. The private pilot recalled that the airplane was at an altitude of 800 ft above ground level and aligned with the runway, but he had no further recollection of the flight. A witness observed the airplane flying "low and slow" about 20 feet above the ground when the nose pitched upward, the airplane "stalled," and the left wing struck the ground. The owner of the airport stated that the trees at the approach end of the runway were damaged, and broken branches were found scattered at the base of the trees immediately after the accident. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage consistent with collision with trees and terrain. The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane during the flight that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1387D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19963
- Built
- 1951
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Hayden, AL
- Destination
- Hayden, AL
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 87
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,100 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KBHM, 19 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.