Cessna 170 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 12, 2008
On October 12, 2008 at about 8:53 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N9100A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's delay in taking timely control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2008 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 A · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N9100A · registry record · serial 18859
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate with a glider-aero tow-only rating, was receiving flight instruction in her recently purchased conventional-landing-gear airplane. The pilot also wanted to add a powered rating to her certificate. After performing various maneuvers in the practice area, the pilot and instructor returned to the airport and made a normal full flaps landing on runway 20. The pilot was flying and the instructor was handling the flaps and coaching the student. Upon touchdown, the tail wheel bounced slightly and the airplane began to drift to the left. The instructor attempted to correct the drift with opposite rudder. The airplane swerved to the right and tilted left. The left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane nosed down. The left wing spar and aileron were bent. At the time of the accident, the recorded wind was 240 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,751 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 5,439 as pilot in command; 4,984 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 29, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 197 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 197 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,437 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 2008; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 8:10 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,342 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 19 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.