Cessna 170 accident near Neche, North Dakota, August 21, 2003
On August 21, 2003 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 170, registered CFGRD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Neche, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The unsuitable terrain encountered during the precautionary landing. Contributing factors to the accident include the pilot becoming lost/disoriented, his decision to perform a precautionary landing, and the soft terrain encountered during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2003 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Neche, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- CFGRD · no longer on the register · serial 19046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged during a precautionary landing in a soft agricultural field. The pilot stated the airplane drifted south of the planned route and he was unable to locate the intended destination airport. The pilot reported he decided to make a precautionary landing in an agricultural field. The pilot stated that during the landing roll the aircraft encountered soft terrain and nosed over.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Irma at 8:15 pm
- Destination: CJL6 Altona
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observation at 1:36 am from HCO, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.