- Date
- September 15, 1991, 18:00 local (Sep 16, 1991, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Curtis, WA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4693CCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910915039989A
- Case key
- 41535
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.
A misjudged maneuver due to physical impairment by alcohol. Contributing to the accident was overconfidence in personal ability.
Analysis
The Cessna 170B collided with terrain while maneuvering during a low pass over the airstrip. Witnesses stated that the pilot appeared to have been attempting a roll when the nose dropped while the aircraft was inverted. The aircraft struck the ground in a nose-low attitude. Toxicological samples revealed that the pilot's blood alcohol level was .08 grams per 100 milliliter.
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
- N4693C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25637
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kirkendall, Curtis
- Registered owner
- Kirkendall, Curtis
- Airport
- 0WA2 · Curtis
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,510 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OLM, 24 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.