Cessna 170 N2333D

Summary

On 7 February 2009 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 170 registered N2333D was involved in an accident near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 February 2009 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Chase County Airport (9K0)

Coordinates

38.3553, -96.5528

Aircraft

Cessna 170

Registration

N2333D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cottonwood Falls → El Dorado

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA158

1 person had minor injuries.

The decision of the pilot to attempt operations outside the forward center of gravity limit. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of an inadequate runway for the conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot attempted a takeoff from a 2,300-foot-long dry turf runway with a five-knot crosswind from the right side. A witness stated that the airplane never seemed to gain momentum, its tail did not raise during the take off, and its brakes locked at the last minute before hitting the fence at the end of the runway. The airplane then flipped over on its back causing damage to the right wing, vertical fin, and rudder. The pilot suffered minor injuries and the second pilot was not injured. A postaccident weight and balance calculation showed that the 575-pound combined weight of the two front seat occupants placed the airplane outside the allowable forward center of gravity limit. A postaccident performance planning calculation showed that on a grass/turf runway the takeoff distance would be approximately 2,299 feet with zero flaps, no wind, and with weight and balance within limits.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.