Cessna 170B accident near Houston, Texas, December 11, 2010
On December 11, 2010 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N1634D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Houston, Texas (West Houston 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2010 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston · 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
- N1634D · registry record · serial 20276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing rollout on the instructional flight, the airplane encountered a right crosswind and started veering to the right. According to the certified flight instructor (CFI), he took the controls just as a wind gust struck the right side of the airplane, which resulted in the left wingtip striking the runway. The CFI stated full opposite control was insufficient to prevent the right wing from rising and the left wing tip from scraping the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left aileron.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,670 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,498 as pilot in command; 1,360 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,855 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWS Houston TX at 3:15 pm
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SGR
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.