Cessna 170B accident near Rochester, Indiana, January 26, 1991
On January 26, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4414B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, Indiana (Fulton County 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-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, Indiana · Fulton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4414B · registry record · serial 26758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 29. THE WIND AT A REPORTING FACILITY 25 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE SOUTH INDICATED THE WIND TO BE 260 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW ACROSS A DITCH, TOUCHED DOWN ON A RAILROAD RIGHT-OF-WAY AND IMPACTED A TREE STUMP AT A FENCE LINE.
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: 918 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,447 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 12, 1990; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I81 Michigan City IN at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:55 pm from GUS, 25 miles away
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.