Cessna 170B N2998D

Summary

On 12 September 2021 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N2998D, operated by Elite Aircraft Sales LLC, was involved in an accident near Ozark, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 September 2021 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ozark, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Byrd's Backcountry Airstrip (51AR)

Coordinates

35.4870, -93.8277

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N2998D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Elite Aircraft Sales LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Searcy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA415

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadequate takeoff performance planning that resulted in a climb gradient too low to clear trees on departure, and his failure to maintain aircraft control that resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while climbing after takeoff during a personal flight with 20o flaps and an airspeed 60 kts, he noticed that the climb seemed very slow. As the airplane approached a tree line, the pilot, thinking the airplane would not clear the trees, reduced the flap setting to 10o to increase airspeed. When the pilot realized that the airplane would not clear the trees, he initiated a 180o turn, with the intent to land on another runway at the departure airport. During the turn, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the airplane flight manual stated that the climb speed should be 62 knots with a 20o flap setting.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.