Cessna 170 N432W

Summary

On 19 July 2018 at about 14:30 local time, a Cessna 170 registered N432W was involved in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota, United States. 2 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

19 July 2018 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Spearfish, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field (SPF)

Coordinates

44.4808, -103.7833

Aircraft

Cessna 170

Registration

N432W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spearfish → Newcastle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA429

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper decision to take off in tailwind conditions, which resulted in an aborted takeoff with insufficient runway remaining.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during takeoff on a grass runway, after liftoff, he noticed the airplane was not able to climb at a normal rate. He lowered the airplane's nose, but the airspeed remained "dangerously low," and the stall horn sounded intermittently. He reduced power to abort the takeoff, but there was insufficient runway remaining. The airplane touched down and overran the runway, the left wing impacted a tree, and the airplane spun 180° before coming to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 5 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 26.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.