- Date
- June 16, 2023, 15:02 local (22:02 UTC)
- Place
- Elko, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8223ACessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Reno FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230616013149A
- Case key
- 192407
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 loss of control after encountering a dust devil during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the winds at the airport were light and variable each of the three times he checked before takeoff. He performed a three-point takeoff, and as soon as he applied back pressure to the yoke, he observed a dust devil to the right and in front of the airplane. The airplane rolled aggressively left and he applied corrective control inputs as the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The main gear impacted vegetation, the airplane rolled, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation (FAA) Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28) and the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual found no detailed information listed about dust devils or the potential hazards of flying through dust devils.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8223A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25075
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 4,580
- Engine
- Continental O-300D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2023
- Departed
- ELK · Elko, NV
- Destination
- S87 · Weiser, ID
- Airport
- EKO · Elko Regional Airport, runway 30, 3,015 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial, Military, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,638 total · 11 in this make and model · 1,806 as pilot in command · 105 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KBAM, 59 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBAM 162215Z AUTO 36003G14KT 10SM CLR 25/00 A3012 RMK AO1=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.8 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.
Other investigations on N8223A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.