Cessna 170B N2865C

Summary

On 19 May 2013 at about 01:38 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N2865C, operated by Bruce A Rhymes, was involved in an accident near Auburn, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2013 at 01:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, California, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn Municipal (AUN)

Coordinates

38.9558, -121.0706

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N2865C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1954

Engines

1

Operator

Bruce A Rhymes

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Middletown → Auburn

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13FA236

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during approach to landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot's friend reported that he observed the accident airplane enter the airport traffic pattern but that he then diverted his attention to putting his airplane inside a hangar. Shortly after, when the accident airplane had not arrived, he immediately notified local authorities. The airplane wreckage was located the following morning in a heavily wooded area almost directly in line with the runway. Postaccident examination of the airframe, flight control system, and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. GPS data revealed that the accident airplane entered the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern and proceeded to turn left onto the base leg and final approach to the runway. The last three GPS data points showed the airplane at a groundspeed of about 64 knots, which was well above the stall speed. The GPS data showed that the airplane was well above the 3-degree glidepath to both the runway threshold and the precision approach path indicator location. Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with a stall and subsequent spin and a near-vertical impact with terrain. However, the reason for the stall could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.