Cessna 170A accident near Crystal, Minnesota, August 14, 1983
On August 14, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N9707A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal, Minnesota (Crystal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal, Minnesota · Crystal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9707A · no longer on the register · serial 19168
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT APPLIED BRAKES THE ACFT VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT. HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER & LEFT BRAKE TO NO AVAIL, & THE ACFT GROUND-LOOPED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE LEFT BRAKE OUTER LINING WAS MISSING. THERE WERE TWO RIVETS MISSING & ONE RIVET HAD BROKEN. THE BACK PLATE WAS VERY RUSTY.
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
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,437 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hillman MN at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from MIC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.