Cessna 170B accident near Ozark, Arkansas, September 12, 2021
On September 12, 2021 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2998D, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Ozark, Arkansas (Byrd'S Backcountry Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate takeoff performance planning that resulted in a climb gradient too low to clear trees on departure, and his failure to maintain aircraft control that resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2021 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ozark, Arkansas · Byrd'S Backcountry Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2998D · registry record · serial 26941
- 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 while climbing after takeoff during a personal flight with 20o flaps and an airspeed 60 kts, he noticed that the climb seemed very slow. As the airplane approached a tree line, the pilot, thinking the airplane would not clear the trees, reduced the flap setting to 10o to increase airspeed. When the pilot realized that the airplane would not clear the trees, he initiated a 180o turn, with the intent to land on another runway at the departure airport. During the turn, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the airplane flight manual stated that the climb speed should be 62 knots with a 20o flap setting.
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
- Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Flight crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,617 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,560 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Elite Aircraft Sales LLC
The flight
- Destination: SRC Searcy AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from FYV, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Log | PDF, 1 page | 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.