Cessna 170B accident near Gilbertsville, Kentucky, September 10, 1993
On September 10, 1993 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4473B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gilbertsville, Kentucky (Kentucky Dam State Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE CROSSWIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1993 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gilbertsville, Kentucky · Kentucky Dam State Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4473B · registry record · serial 26817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 170B, N4473B, LANDED ON RUNWAY 27 WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND. HE SAID THAT DURING THE FLARE, THE WIND BLEW THE PLANE TO THE LEFT. DURING TOUCHDOWN, ITS LEFT WING HIT THE RUNWAY & THE PLANE ANGLED TO THE LEFT, CROSSED A PARALLEL TAXIWAY, ENTERED A RAMP AREA, AND HIT A PARKED PIPER PA-28, N6947J. THE CESSNA'S PROP SEVERED THE LEFT WING OF THE PA-28, OUTBOARD OF THE LEFT GEAR. NO PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. ABOUT 23 MILES WEST AT PADUCAH, KY, THE 1550 EDT WEATHER WAS IN PART: 1500 FT SCATTERED, 15 MI VISIBILITY, WIND FROM 350 DEG AT 11 KTS.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,144 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1993; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AID Anderson IN at 4:00 am
- Destination: M34
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from PAH, 23 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.