Cessna 170B N170JL

Summary

On 23 August 2025 at about 18:30 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N170JL was involved in an accident near Livermore Falls, Maine, 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

23 August 2025 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Livermore Falls, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Bowman Field Airport (B10)

Coordinates

44.4098, -70.1462

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N170JL

Category

Airplane

Year built

1953

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Livermore Falls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA320

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing in gusting wind conditions, which 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 purpose of the flight was to conduct two takeoffs and landings as part of a short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition. Runway 20 was in use, with winds from the south at 5 knots, gusting to 10 knots. Following the second takeoff, ground personnel advised the pilot that wind conditions had increased. During the second landing, at an altitude of about 20 ft above ground level (agl), the pilot inadvertently allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay as it approached the intended touchdown point, and the left wing stalled. He attempted to correct for the stalled condition but was unable to regain control of the airplane. A spectator positioned near the accident site recorded the accident sequence. Review of the spectator-recorded video showed the airplane descending from about 20 ft agl in a nose-up attitude. The left wing dropped and contacted the ground, and the airplane rotated to the left. The nose subsequently impacted the ground, and the airplane continued to rotate left and came to rest about 180° from its original direction of flight. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.