Cessna 170B accident near Prospect Creek, Alaska, July 4, 1991
On July 4, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3158A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prospect Creek, 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, AND HIS DELAY IN REVERSING COURSE (REMEDIAL ACTION). THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Prospect Creek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3158A · no longer on the register · serial 25400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN THE AREA OF A MOUNTAIN PASS, THE PILOT ENTERED CONDITIONS OF RAIN THAT QUICKLY TURNED TO CLOUDS AND INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS. HE ATTEMPTED A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO VFR CONDITIONS, BUT ENCOUNTERED RISING TERRAIN WHILE FLYING ABOVE THE TREETOPS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT MUSHED INTO TREES AND CRASHED.
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: 2,155 hours in all; 1,519 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 2,080 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 1AK1 Crevice Creek AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- 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.