Cessna 170 accident near Sealy, Texas, May 15, 2024
On May 15, 2024 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1953 Cessna 170, registered N74887, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sealy, Texas (Gloster Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 the takeoff, that resulted in an impact with a tree and the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2024 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sealy, Texas · Gloster Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 B, built 1953 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N74887 · registry record · serial 25853
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported during the takeoff from the turf runway with a crosswind present, he advanced the throttle “a little too fast.” As the tail of the airplane lifted off the ground, the pilot admitted he failed to apply “consistent” right rudder. The pilot closed the throttle and applied the brakes; however the left wing impacted a tree, the airplane spun to the left, and the right wing and the right elevator impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright in a ditch, and all three occupants were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the right elevator. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. At the time of the accident, the airplane was 59 pounds below the maximum gross weight. The estimated density altitude for the closest meteorological reporting station, near the time of the accident, was 2,711 ft above mean sea level.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Evacuation during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 835 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 731 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 11, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,099.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 2024; 7.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-300D (piston); 2,323 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02/2, 3,292 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KTME, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTME 152215Z AUTO 16007G15KT 10SM CLR 33/19 A2977 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 13, 2024. 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 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Wind and Density Altitude Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Cessna 170 Series Owner's Manual - Excerpts | PDF, 2 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.