Cessna 170 accident near Burnet, Texas, July 26, 2013
On July 26, 2013 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N5401C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Burnet, Texas (Burnet Municipal 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2013 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Burnet, Texas · Burnet Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 A · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N5401C · no longer on the register · serial 19435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane bounced during landing and the nose of the airplane began to drift to the left. The airplane exited the runway, hit a soft spot in the grass and impacted terrain. The right main landing gear separated and the impact resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage, the right wing, and the firewall. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the accident would have been avoided if he had executed a go-around.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing
- Part(s) separation from AC during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMQ Burnet TX
- Destination: BMQ Burnet TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KBMQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.