Cessna 170A accident near Hibbing, Minnesota, August 31, 2016
On August 31, 2016 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1951 Cessna 170A, registered N1726D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hibbing, Minnesota (Range Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in impact with terrain near the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2016 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hibbing, Minnesota · Range Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A, built 1951 · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1726D · no longer on the register · serial 20169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a personal flight, and his last recollection of the flight was when he entered the traffic pattern for the runway. He stated that he was unsure if he "had a bad landing or tried to go around" when the accident occurred. The airplane came to rest upright in the grass alongside the runway facing southeast; the forward fuselage was crushed aft, which was consistent with a nose-down impact. The flaps were found fully retracted. A postaccident examination of the runway did not reveal any tire skid marks that could be associated with a loss of directional control after the airplane touched down. The initial point of impact was where the left wingtip had hit the ground about 30 ft from the left edge of the runway. The propeller exhibited damage consistent with minimal engine power at impact. The wreckage examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, the pilot lost airplane control, but it could not be determined if this occurred while landing or during a go-around attempt.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 21.5 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 36.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,816.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2016; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145-2 (piston); 2,816 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Bear River MN at 4:00 pm
- Destination: HIB Hibbing MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,758 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from HIB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 21, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation (David Nelson) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement (David Nelson) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector Record of Conversation with Flight Instructor John Burgess | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Hibbing Police Department Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.