- Date
- January 6, 2008, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Ellsworth, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5407CCessna 170A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20080106011009A
- Case key
- 67354
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 directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area.
Findings · 4
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 elected to land at the private airstrip without permission and initiated an approach to the snow-covered, 1,200 foot-long runway with a slight crosswind from the left. After touchdown near the right edge of the runway, the airplane bounced several times, then began yawing to the left. The airplane then began a right arcing turn, and collided with a snow bank and a building.
Factual narrative
The pilot elected to land at the private airstrip without permission and initiated an approach to the snow covered 1,200 foot long runway with a slight crosswind from the left. After touchdown near the right edge of the runway, the airplane bounced several times, then began yawing to the left. The airplane then began a right arcing turn, and collided with a snow bank and a building.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5407C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19441
- Airframe hours
- 4,330.41
- Engine
- Continental C145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joshua H. Platner & Andrew N. Peterson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2007
- Departed
- KBST · Belfast, ME
- Destination
- Ellsworth, ME
- Airport
- NONE · Philbrick Mountain, runway 01, 1,200 × 24 ft, asphalt
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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 679 total · 350 in this make and model · 656 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KBGR
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 N5407C · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.