Cessna 170 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, August 15, 2002
On August 15, 2002 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 170, registered N2558D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna airport). 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
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's excessive braking which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2002 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2558D · registry record · serial 20710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was conducting touch and go landings to an asphalt surfaced runway. The pilot said the airplane touched down hard and bounced, and the propeller contacted the runway surface. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, and the pilot applied the brakes. The airplane then nosed over, receiving damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The wind was calm.
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: 151 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2001; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PASX Soldotna AK at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from PASX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC02LA096.