Cessna 170B accident near Palmer, Alaska, June 12, 2010
On June 12, 2010 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2886C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Palmer, Alaska (Wolf Lake 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in variable wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2010 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Wolf Lake · 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
- N2886C · registry record · serial 26429
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight, he landed his tailwheel airplane on a hard-surfaced runway. During the landing roll, he said he lost directional control, and the airplane ground-looped to the right, damaging the left wing, left aileron, and left elevator. The pilot indicated the wind was 5 to 8 knots and variable in direction. He noted that had he been more aware of its variable direction, he would have slowed his taxi speed and anticipated a possible wind shift. He said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 695 hours in all; 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wasilla AK
- Destination: Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 36
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N2886C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.