Cessna 170B accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming, May 30, 2002
On May 30, 2002 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4559C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming (Rock Springs/Sweetwater 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's failure to maintain aircraft control during initial takeoff climb. A contributing factor was the gusty crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2002 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Wyoming · Rock Springs/Sweetwater 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
- N4559C · no longer on the register · serial 25503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during takeoff roll on runway 21, the winds swung from the west becoming a right crosswind. "Holding the right wing down, I felt I would be better off airborne, so [I] lifted the airplane off. [The] wind pushed me left of [the] runway. I kept trying to force [the] airplane to fly, but didn't have enough airspeed." The pilot said that he turned slightly left toward lower ground in an attempt to gain airspeed. The pilot said, "From [an] estimated height of 20-30 feet, [the] stall warning horn began blaring, airplane mushed into [the ground] - no breakover from stall." An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The reported winds, 20 minutes before the accident, were 290 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The reported winds, 39 minutes after the accident, were 270 degrees at 17 knots with gusts to 22 knots.
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: 1,023 hours in all; 577 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 977 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,104.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2002; 11.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RKS Rock Springs WY at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,223 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from RKS, 1 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.