Cessna C-170B accident near Manley Hot Sprg, Alaska, May 4, 1991
On May 4, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna C-170B, registered N2744D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manley Hot Sprg, Alaska. 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 SELECTING UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Manley Hot Sprg, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-170B
- Registration
- N2744D · registry record · serial 25286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO HIT THE GROUND. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE USED POOR JUDGMENT IN SELECTING A ROUGH LANDING AREA AT WHICH TO LAND. HE HAD DRIVEN TO AND INSPECTED THE LANDING AREA ABOUT 30 MINUTES PREVIOUSLY.
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: 708 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 651 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,479 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLY Manley Hot Sprg AK at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.