- Date
- June 23, 2013, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rawlins, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N170CWCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA DEN FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130623010849A
- Case key
- 87271
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 delayed decision to abort the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and a high density altitude, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
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 reported that during the takeoff, the tail wheel lifted off, but the airplane would not climb out of ground effect. He stated that he used all of the runway length, and did not reduce power in time to abort the takeoff. The airplane departed the runway surface into rough terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and both elevators. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He indicated that he was based at a sea level airport, and did not take into account the high density altitude (8,600 feet), which affected the airplane’s performance.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff, the tail wheel lifted off, but the airplane would not climb out of ground effect. He stated that he used all of the runway length, and did not reduce power in time to abort the takeoff. The airplane departed the runway surface into rough terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and both elevators. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He indicated that he was based at a sea level airport, and did not take into account the high density altitude (8,600 feet), which affected the airplane’s performance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N170CW
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20411
- Airframe hours
- 3,097
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145 SERIES, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hohmann Courtney P
- Registered owner
- Hohmann Courtney P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 4, 2013
- Departed
- RWL · Rawlins, WY
- Destination
- 3U2 · Johnson Creek, ID
- Airport
- RWL · Rawlins, runway 04, 7,008 × 100 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 4, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,068 total · 206 in this make and model · 876 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KRWL
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 12, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.