Cessna 170 N3492C

Summary

On 8 September 2004 at about 01:00 local time, a Cessna 170 registered N3492C was involved in an accident near Teller, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 2004 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Teller, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

65.4400, -165.7183

Aircraft

Cessna 170

Registration

N3492C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Teller → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04LA112

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, and his inadequate evaluation of the wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with an embankment during takeoff-initial climb. Factors contributing to the accident was the presence of a sand embankment, and a tailwind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was departing toward the north from a gravel area along a remote creek. The takeoff area was oriented north/south, and was about 800 feet long, and about 100 feet wide. The pilot indicated the wind was variable, about 7 knots. About 25 feet after liftoff, the right main landing gear tire struck about a 2 foot high embankment. The airplane settled onto the gravel bar and came to a stop. The pilot said that an observer on the ground reported to him that the wind appeared to switch to a tailwind during the takeoff run. The airplane was retrieved from the scene by helicopter. The pilot of the helicopter reported that when he arrived at the scene, he observed the right main landing gear strut and tire lying in a small creek, separated from the fuselage, between what appeared to be the takeoff point, and the airplane's point of rest.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.