Cessna 170B accident near Soldotna, Alaska, May 3, 2014
On May 3, 2014 at about 1:45 am local time, a 1954 Cessna 170B, registered N3469C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to recognize a wind shift, resulting in a tailwind landing, loss of control, and ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2014 · about 1:45 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 170B UNDESIGNAT, built 1954 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3469C · registry record · serial 26512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing solo takeoff and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, hard surfaced runway. At the beginning of the flight, the winds were light and variable, but during the last landing, the wind had shifted to a slight tailwind. During the landing, the pilot lost control of the airplane, and ground looped, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 74 hours in all; 74 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,137 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2014; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,451 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300 SER (piston); 3,560 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SXQ Soldotna AK
- Destination: SXQ Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 5,000 ft by 132 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from PASX
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 N3469C 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.