- Date
- July 19, 2018, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spearfish, SD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N432WCessna 170
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180719011719A
- Case key
- 97824
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 improper decision to take off in tailwind conditions, which resulted in an aborted takeoff with insufficient runway remaining.
Findings · 5
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 reported that, during takeoff on a grass runway, after liftoff, he noticed the airplane was not able to climb at a normal rate. He lowered the airplane's nose, but the airspeed remained "dangerously low," and the stall horn sounded intermittently. He reduced power to abort the takeoff, but there was insufficient runway remaining. The airplane touched down and overran the runway, the left wing impacted a tree, and the airplane spun 180° before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 5 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 26.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during takeoff on a grass runway, after lift-off, he noticed he was not able to climb at a normal rate. He lowered the nose of the airplane, but the airspeed remained "dangerously low" and the stall horn sounded intermittently. He reduced power to abort the takeoff, but there was insufficient runway remaining. The airplane touched down, overran the runway, the left wing impacted a tree, and the airplane spun 180° before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 5 knots, temperature 64°F, dew point 59°F. The airplane was departing on runway 26. The pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N432W
- Reported as
- Cessna 170 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20325
- Built
- 1952
- Engine
- Continental C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SPF · Spearfish, SD
- Destination
- ECS · Newcastle, WY
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SPF · Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field, runway 26, 4,003 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- 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
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 972 KB 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 N432W · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.