- Date
- January 14, 2017, 14:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Coeur D'Alene, ID
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3210ACessna 170
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170114000069A
- Case key
- 94624
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 an appropriate descent rate during approach, which resulted in landing short of the runway threshold.
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 pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the final approach, the airplane was too low, which he failed to notice and correct. Subsequently, the airplane landed short of the runway threshold in about 3 ft of snow and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left lift strut, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the final approach, the airplane was too low, which he failed to notice and correct. Subsequently, the airplane landed short of the runway threshold in about 3 feet of snow and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left lift strut, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3210A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25854
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 2,710
- Engine
- Continental C145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Inceptus Inc., doing business as Latitude Aviation
- Registered owner
- Inceptus Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 14, 2016
- Departed
- 65S · Bonners Ferry, ID
- Destination
- COE · Coeur D'Alene, ID
- Airport
- COE · Coeur D'Alene - Pappy Boyingto, runway 02, 5,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 6, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 104.5 total · 10.5 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 8.8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.44 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOE, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 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.
Other investigations on N3210A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.