Cessna 170 accident near San Antonio, Texas, September 20, 2020
On September 20, 2020 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1948 Cessna 170, registered N4019V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Antonio, Texas (San Geronimo Airpark 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 inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions while landing, which resulted a loss of lateral control and impact with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2020 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Geronimo Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 Undesignat, built 1948 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4019V · registry record · serial 18338
- 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, during landing on runway 35, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right and that it then struck an airport perimeter fence at the edge of the airport property. The fence was located about 100 ft right of the runway centerline. The aft fuselage and the left horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. An airport observation station located about 10 miles from the accident site reported wind from 020° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical “problems” with the airplane.
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
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from CVB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 9, 2021. 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 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident 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.