Cessna 170B N4697C

Summary

On 13 April 2015 at about 00:45 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N4697C, operated by Seth W. McMillan, was involved in an accident near Bettles, Alaska, United States. 3 people were 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

13 April 2015 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Bettles, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Bettles (BTT)

Coordinates

67.2131, -151.4317

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N4697C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1953

Engines

1

Operator

Seth W. McMillan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bettles → Bettles

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC15LA020

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident engine examination and testing revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot stated that, shortly after takeoff for the personal flight, when the airplane was between about 50 and 70 ft above ground level, a total loss of engine power occurred. After completing the engine failure emergency procedures checklist, the pilot lowered the airplane's nose and attempted to find a suitable landing area. When he determined that the airplane would not be able to reach the desired landing point, he arrested the descent, and the airplane settled into an area of densely populated birch trees along the side of a river. A postaccident examination of the airplane's systems and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies. The engine was test run, and it operated through a full range of power settings with no anomalies noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.