Cessna 170 accident near Northway, Alaska, August 8, 1993
On August 8, 1993 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N3271A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northway, Alaska (Northway airport). 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATING FOR THE VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1993 · about 9:15 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Northway, Alaska · Northway · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N3271A · registry record · serial 25915
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BASED ON THE WINDS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION HE LINED UP TO LAND ON RUNWAY 22. ON SHORT FINAL THE CRAB ANGLE HE WAS USING TO CORRECT FOR THE WIND WAS NO LONGER NEEDED AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SETTLE. HE APPLIED POWER, LOOKED AT THE WINDSOCK AND NOTICED AN INDICATION OF THE WIND FROM THE NORTH. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT WING CAME UP. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO SOME TREES AND BRUSH.
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: 365 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,834 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-B-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYXY Whitehorse at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from ORT
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3271A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 170 2,085 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,676 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-300-B-A 6,625 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northway Airport · nearest airport
- Whitehorse/Erik Nielsen International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC93LA139.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.