- Date
- July 27, 2003, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Schafer, MT
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1979CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20030727018079A
- Case key
- 57600
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's delayed remedial action during the takeoff roll. Factors include wet terrain, a fence and an embankment located at the end of the runway.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff roll because he determined that the aircraft was not generating sufficient lift to execute a safe takeoff and clear obstacles located at the end of the runway. He reported that he applied heavy braking, however, the airplane skidded off the departure end of the runway, through a fence, and down an embankment. The pilot reported that the turf runway was damp at the time of the accident. He also reported that the he aborted the takeoff approximately halfway down the runway. The Schafer Airport is located at an elevation of 4,933 feet above mean sea level, and has a single turf runway (07/25), which is 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide.
Factual narrative
On July 27, 2003, about 0745 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N1979C, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff and subsequent runway overrun at the Schafer Airport (8U2), Schafer, Montana. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The pilot's planned destination was Helena, Montana.
In a written report, the pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff roll because he determined that the aircraft was not generating sufficient lift to execute a safe takeoff and clear obstacles located at the end of the runway. He reported that he applied heavy braking, however, the airplane skidded off the departure end of the runway, through a fence, and down an embankment.
The Schafer Airport is located at an elevation of 4,933 feet above mean sea level, and has a single turf runway (07/25), which is 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide.
The pilot reported that the turf runway was damp at the time of the accident. He also reported that he aborted the takeoff approximately halfway down the runway.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1979C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26124
- Engine
- Continental O-300, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Craig Hanson
- Registered owner
- Clhlc, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 8U2 · Schafer, MT
- Destination
- HLN · Helena, MT
- Airport
- 8U2 · Schafer /Usfs/, runway 25, 3,200 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 334 total · 134 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N1979C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.