Cessna 170A incident near Buena Vista, Colorado, April 12, 2006
On April 12, 2006 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1327D, suffered minor damage in an incident near Buena Vista, Colorado. 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were the crosswinds and the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2006 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Vista, Colorado · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1327D · no longer on the register · serial 20102
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to takeoff to the north when the airplane caught a gust of wind. The airplane went up onto its nose causing damage to the propeller, spinner, and lower cowling. An examination of the airplane revealed no flight control or systems anomalies. The winds in the vicinity at the time of the incident were 250 degrees at 9 knots with gusts to 17 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7V1 Buena Vista CO at 9:37 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from LXV
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.