Cessna 170B accident near Sparrevohn, Alaska, August 18, 2003
On August 18, 2003 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8016A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sparrevohn, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind, which resulted in collapse of the left main landing gear during the takeoff roll. A factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2003 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sparrevohn, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8016A · registry record · serial 20868
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the takeoff area was 2,100 feet long, oriented east/west, and consisted of "firm tundra with some rougher areas near the mid point." Additionally, the takeoff area had a dogleg requiring "a right hand directional correction of about 15 feet" near the midpoint. The pilot reported that he planned to takeoff heading east, and the wind was from the south at 5 to 7 mph. He further reported that the airplane accelerated normally, and as it neared the midpoint of the takeoff area, it "wanted to drift to the left." The pilot added right rudder to make the dogleg turn and to counteract the drift. At this point, the pilot heard a loud "pop" from the fuselage and aborted the takeoff. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage, and the airplane slid approximately 100 feet and came to a stop. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by the "use of more right aileron and less rudder to correct for right-hand crosswind."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,818 hours in all; 750 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sparrevohn AK
- Destination: AK51 Port Alsworth AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.