Cessna 170B accident near Washington, Indiana, September 20, 1987
On September 20, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N473CJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, Indiana (Daviess Company airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 20, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, Indiana · Daviess Company · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N473CJ · no longer on the register · serial 25860
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING THE AIRCRAFT, AFTER RETURNING FROM A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED A CROSSWIND GUST AND 'VEERED STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT.' THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO ABORT THE LANDING AND PROCEEDED TO ADD FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE GUST OF WIND WAS 'PUSHING' THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE TREES AT THE EAST END OF THE FIELD AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO MISS THE TREES HE PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE TREES BUT JUST AS IT PASSED OVER THE TREE LINE, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER AND LOWERED THE NOSE BUT THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO ROLL INVERTED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH THE LEFT WING FIRST, CART-WHEELING THE AIRCRAFT IN A CORN FIELD.
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: 267 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1987; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M9 Cadiz KY at 4:52 pm
- Destination: DCY Washington IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from BMG, 36 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.