Cessna 170B accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, December 26, 1983
On December 26, 1983 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2601D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska (Moore Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1983 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Moore Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2601D · registry record · serial 20753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENG HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER & THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT DID NOT IMPROVE THE SITUATION. HE DECIDED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST ARPT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH APRX 2 FT OF SNOW, AND DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE PRIMER LINE HAD COME LOOSE.
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: 219 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 202 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,724 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANI Aniak AK at 7:45 pm
- Destination: HRR Healy AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 900 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N2601D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ANC84FAG02.