- Date
- May 6, 1983, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Iraan, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3038ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830506017879A
- Case key
- 20721
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
According to a truck driver, he was proceeding northbound on a highway, when he saw the aircraft enter what he described as a loop from aprx 100 ft AGL. The witness then lost sight of the acft, but shortly after that, he saw a large explosion on the ground where the acft crashed & burned. Recently, the plt had been observed performing chandelles & lazy eights at low alt. Also, he had recently discussed the possibility of looping the acft & was advised not to. An exam of the wreckage revealed that the acft had impacted in a 20 to 30 deg nose down, wings level attitude. No evidence of a preimpact, mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The plt had not received formal training in aerobatics. The acft was certified for utility category of flt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3038A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25682
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John V. Klassen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 7, 1983
- Destination
- E02 · TX
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 4 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 19 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 80 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.