Cessna 170B N3442D

Summary

On 4 June 2014 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N3442D was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, 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

4 June 2014 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Totatlanika River (9AK)

Coordinates

64.8147, -147.8605

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N3442D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1955

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA037

Nobody was injured.

The airplane's encounter with a tailwind during takeoff from a short, narrow airstrip, which resulted in a loss of lift and collision with brush and small trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that he was departing in his airplane from the downhill-sloping (east) runway at 9AK with a slight tailwind. He said that, as the airplane tried to become airborne, the tailwind increased considerably, and the airplane would not climb. The airplane struck brush that encroached the east end of the runway area and veered left into brush and small trees. He stated that no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane precluded normal operation. Damage included the separation of the right outboard elevator. Photographs of the airstrip provided by the pilot showed that 9AK was a short, narrow, rough-surfaced airstrip with brush growth encroachment.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.