Cessna 170B accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, May 12, 1995
On May 12, 1995 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4366B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chickaloon, 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 FRACTURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER AND PROPELLER FLANGE IN-FLIGHT. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1995 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4366B · registry record · serial 26710
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE'S PROPELLER, PROPELLER FLANGE AND A PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 6,500' MSL. HE SAID THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING SITE WAS A NARROW ROAD, AND THAT HE WAS FORCED BY SURROUNDING TERRAIN TO LAND UPHILL AND DOWNWIND. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, WENT OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A DITCH. THE MISSING PROPELLER AND COMPONENTS WERE NOT RECOVERED.
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: 1,445 hours in all; 445 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,390 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,404 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1995; 44 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: ORT Northway AK at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SQX Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.