Cessna 170B accident near Ocala, Florida, April 8, 2002
On April 8, 2002 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3470C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida (Ocala Regional 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's failure to maintain directional control on landing roll, resulting in a loss of control/ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2002 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3470C · registry record · serial 26513
- 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 the approach to land was normal and the airplane touched down on the centerline of runway 36, approximately 2000 down the runway. Immediately upon touchdown, the airplane departed the runway surface to the right and ground looped. The pilot attempted to correct directional control problem by adding full left rudder and full right aileron, but the pilot was unable to stop the ground loop. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or system failure with the airplane. The reported winds at the time of the accident were light and variable; the 6,096 foot long runway surface condition was dry.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,557 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 7,557 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,635 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 2002; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 6,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 19 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from OCF, 97 miles away
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.