# NTSB LAX83LUG09: Cessna 170B, N2962D, Big Bear City, CA, December 14, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: December 14, 1982, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place: Big Bear City, CA
- Coordinates: 34.230892, -116.860153 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2309&lon=-116.8602&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69943
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX83LUG09
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69943/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX83LUG09

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - snowbank

## Analysis

THE ACCIDENT OCCURED AFTER TOUCHDOWN WHEN THE PILOT TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE WING AND PROPELLER COLLIDED WITH A FROZEN SNOW BANK.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2962D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2962D), registered now, S/N 26905 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170B
- Registry model: [Cessna 170B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (registry code 2072306) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 26905
- Airframe hours: 3120
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Charles J. Thomas
- Registered owner: Charles J. Thomas
- Departed: L35, BIG BEAR CITY, CA
- Destination: L35, BIG BEAR CITY, CA
- Airport: L35, Big Bear, runway 25, 5,850 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 32,664 total, 2 in this make and model, 32,190 as pilot in command, 277 in the last 90 days, 120 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19821214067009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19821214067009A), Dec 14, 1982: Cessna 170B, Big Bear City, CA, Substantial damage. Instructor unskilled in tail draggers lost control on demo of short field landing. Airplane veered into snowbank.

## Other investigations on N2962D (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX93LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA232), May 29, 1993: Cessna 170B (N2962D), Escondido, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE BRAKES. THE HIGH VEGETATION WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.