- Date
- May 17, 1988, 11:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Bayard, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4510CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880517070039A
- Case key
- 34569
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 stated that he started the trip, from new Mexico to north dakota, the evening prior to the accident. Because of poor weather, the pilot re-routed the flight through several alternate fuel and oil stops. The flight was en route to a planned fuel stop when the engine lost oil pressure. The aircraft was too FAR from a suitable airport and the pilot was forced to land on a highway. The pilot secured a ride to the nearest town and purchased oil. After adding oil to the aircraft's engine he attempted a takeoff from the highway--after going without sleep for almost 30 hours. During the takeoff roll, the airplane struck a speed limit sign on the edge of the highway with its right wing. The pilot then lost directional control and the aircraft swerved into a ditch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4510C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25454
- Airframe hours
- 3,435
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ayres, Vance R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 16, 1987
- Departed
- FMN · Farmington, NM
- Destination
- ISN · Williston, ND
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,117 total · 1,059 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFF, 14 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.
Other investigations on N4510C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.