- Date
- October 24, 1997, 02:50 local (09:50 UTC)
- Place
- Fernley, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3155ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971024030969A
- Case key
- 29984
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 terrain clearance during a delayed go-around after an improper decision to continue an approach to an unlighted runway without adequate visual references. Ground fog was a factor in this accident.
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
The pilot was landing on an unlighted runway. While on short final his landing light began reflecting off an airborne mist, so he switched it off. He still had visual contact and elected to continue. As he began to flare, he lost all outside visual references. He attempted a go-around but the right wing struck the runway. The aircraft rebounded and then the left wing struck the runway. The aircraft then pitched down, settled, and slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft the aircraft without difficulty. The pilot reported that the airport is located in a valley that is below the level of the surrounding terrain. There is no instrument approach associated with the airport.
Factual narrative
On October 24, 1997, at 0250 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3155A, collided with the runway while landing at Tiger Field in Fernley, Nevada. The aircraft sustained substantial damage; however, the pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight by its pilot/owner when the accident occurred. The flight originated in North Las Vegas, Nevada, at 2330 on October 23. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site and no flight plan was filed. The moon was 21.1 degrees above a level horizon with 38 percent illumination.
The pilot was making an approach to unlighted airport. He reported that at the time of the approach the sky was clear. At 800 feet agl he was able to maintain reference to surrounding terrain; however, at 50 to 100 feet agl the lights from the town of Fernley washed out all ground references. He abandoned the approach to runway 15, made a go-around, and set up an approach to runway 33.
While on short final to runway 33, his landing light began reflecting off an airborne mist, so he switched it off. He still had visual contact with terrain and elected to continue the approach. As he began to flare, he lost all outside visual references. He attempted another go-around but during the procedure, the right wing struck the runway. The aircraft rebounded and then the left wing struck the runway. The aircraft then pitched down, settled, and slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft through the cabin door without difficulty.
The pilot reported that the airport is located in a valley that is below the level of the surrounding terrain. There is no instrument approach associated with the airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3155A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25799
- Airframe hours
- 2,949
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James Edward Piper
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1997 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- VGT · North Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- N58
- Airport
- N58 · Tiger Field, runway 33, 4,165 × 55 ft, gravel
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,307 total · 789 in this make and model · 4,545 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RNO, 45 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.