Cessna 170 accident near Orwell, Ohio, April 24, 1989
On April 24, 1989 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4409V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orwell, Ohio (Private Strip airport). 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 PILOT'S DECISION TO TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLEAR THE FENCE(S) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SOFT RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS & THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1989 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Orwell, Ohio · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4409V · no longer on the register · serial 18542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BEGAN TO TAKE OFF FROM HIS PRIVATE STRIP, WHICH WAS ABOUT 1300' LONG. A PORTION OF THE STRIP HAD RECENTLY BEEN PLOWED & WAS SOFT. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DECELERATED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL & DID NOT ATTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED TO CLEAR A FENCE AT THE END OF THE STRIP. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR SNAGGED A WIRE & THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HIT A FENCE POST. THE ACFT CLEARED A 2ND FENCE, BUT HIT A 3RD FENCE. IT THEN LANDED, BUT ENCTRD SOFT TERRAIN & SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER.
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: 200 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 1,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.