Cessna 170B accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, May 8, 2000
On May 8, 2000 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N992EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to an undetermined reason. A factor in the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2000 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Delta Junction, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N992EZ · registry record · serial 25905
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo private pilot reported that while in cruise flight, about 600 feet above the ground, the engine RPM suddenly dropped to idle. Emergency engine procedures did not restore full engine power, and he selected a forced landing area that contained trees. The airplane sustained damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA airworthiness inspector who traveled to the accident scene reported that when he inserted a probe into the muffler, he noted 'there was something loose within the muffler.' The muffler assembly was subsequently removed from the airplane, and shipped to the NTSB investigator-in-charge. On May 15, the muffler assembly was cut open in the presence of the NTSB investigator-in-charge. An internal inspection revealed extensive thermal destruction of the internal baffling material. The baffling material that remained in the muffler measured about 4 inches by 3 inches. By placing the remaining material in various position over the exhaust port, the NTSB investigator was unable to position it in such a way that a blockage would occur.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,055 hours in all; 287 in this make and model; 1,888 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 345 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 2000; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VDZ Valdez AK at 7:45 pm
- Destination: D66 Delta Junction AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 191° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC00LA054.