Cessna 170B N3558C
12 October 2014 · Yerington, Nevada, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 October 2014 at about 15:12 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N3558C was involved in an accident near Yerington, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:12
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Yerington, Nevada, United States
- Nearest airport
- Dirt Airstrip (N/A)
- Coordinates
- 39.1547, -119.2981
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B
- Registration
- N3558C
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1954
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Yerington → Carson City
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR15FA010
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of the Savannah pilot to maintain awareness of the position of the Cessna while attempting a join up maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the impaired decision-making of the Savannah's pilot due to the combined effects of licit and illicit medications. Also contributing to the accident was the failure of the Cessna pilot to maintain awareness of the position of the Savannah as it was departing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A Cessna 170B and a Pettit Savannah collided in midair shortly after both took off from the same airstrip. The airplanes were the second and third airplanes in a group of three airplanes whose pilots planned to depart from a fly-in at the airstrip, form up together in the traffic pattern, and then depart the area. The first airplane took off and turned left 180 degrees onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, and it was followed by the Cessna. Subsequently, the Savannah took off on a heading about 45 degrees to the left of the airstrip's heading and entered a climbing left turn. Witnesses reported that when the airplanes collided, the Cessna was flying level on a westerly heading on the downwind leg, and the Savannah was on about a north heading in a climbing left turn. The witnesses observed the airplanes collide at nearly a perpendicular angle. Postaccident examination of the airplanes' wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of either airplane. A collision angle calculated from paint transfer and scratches on the Savannah's right wing indicated that the airplanes collided at an angle of about 90 degrees, consistent with the witness reports. The evidence indicated that the Savannah pilot attempted a join-up maneuver without maintaining adequate awareness of the Cessna's position. Before the collision occurred, the Savannah was in a climbing left turn and likely could not see the Cessna. The Savannah's pilot should have executed a clearing procedure during climb out to verify the position of the Cessna before attempting the join up. Also, had the Cessna's pilot executed a clearing procedure while on downwind, he might have been able to observe the Savannah as it was departing. The Savannah pilot's toxicology testing identified diphenhydramine, tramadol, mefloquine, and trazodone in the muscle and liver. Additionally, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its inactive metabolite tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid were detected in the lung, liver, and brain. The investigation was unable to determine why the pilot was using mefloquine or if he had any adverse effects from the medication. The combined effects of diphenhydramine, tramadol, trazodone, and THC, all of which cause sedation, likely impaired the Savannah pilot's decision-making.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 170B UNDESIGNAT | N3558C | - | Destroyed |
| Pettit SAVANNAH NO SERIES | N991TP | - | Destroyed |
Other Cessna 170 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2014 | Cessna 170B | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Sep 2014 | Cessna 170B | Portland, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Nov 2014 | Cessna 170B | Alzada, Montana, United States | Kovarik Peter M | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Mar 2014 | Cessna 170B | Mulberry, Florida, United States | Trembley Sharon L | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 2014 | Cessna 170A | Huron, South Dakota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 2014 | Cessna 170B | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | Burch Loren W | No injuries | - |
All 1,985 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Sep 2014 | Backovich George C G P 5 | Reno, Nevada, United States | Lee Behel | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Jul 2014 | Roscher Frederick THUNDER MUSTANG | Spanish Springs, Nevada, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Jun 2014 | Dittenber Thomas J AURIGA | Echo Bay, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 25 Jul 2014 | Eurocopter EC 130 B4 | Boulder City, Nevada, United States | Papillon Airways Inc | No injuries | - |
| 5 Nov 2014 | Extra Flugzeugproduktions-Und EA 300 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Mar 2014 | Cessna 120 | Carson City, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |