Cessna 170B accident near Togiak, Alaska, April 30, 1996
On April 30, 1996 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2760D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Togiak, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fatigue failure of the right main landing gear strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1996 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Togiak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2760D · no longer on the register · serial 25302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was landing on a gravel area of beach next to a river. During the landing roll, the right main wheel assembly broke. The landing gear strut began dragging on the ground and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the gear strut revealed that it was broken along a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the outside vertical surface of the strut. A fracture had progressed through the upper mounting bolt holes that attach the axle and brake mounting plate to the strut. The surface of the fracture exhibited a dark brown/red appearance and ridges or stop marks radiating from the lower inside edge of the aft mounting bolt hole. These stop marks were similar in appearance to progressive beach marks, indicative of fatigue. The remaining fracture surface, at the inboard edge of the strut and between the bolt holes, exhibited a dull gray appearance and a shear lip oriented on about a 45 degree plane from the lower surface. The remaining fracture surface areas on both sides (forward and aft) of the bolt holes were also gray in appearance with small areas of red rust and corrosion.
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: 1,319 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 2:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°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.