Cessna 170A accident near Williston, North Dakota, April 15, 1982
On April 15, 1982, a Cessna 170A, registered CFZMZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williston, North Dakota (Williston Slowlin Inter'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- April 15, 1982
- Place
- Williston, North Dakota · Williston Slowlin Inter'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- CFZMZ · no longer on the register · serial 19156
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT NOTED UNFAVORABLE WINDS WHEN HE ARRIVED FOR LANDING. HE ELECTED TO FLY IN THE LOCAL AREA UNTIL THE WINDS SUBSIDED. AFTER FLYING LOCALLY FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 29 WITH A CROSSWIND FROM 020 DEGREES. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, HE ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND VELOCITY WAS ABOUT 5 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER LANDING, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALMOST STOPPED, HE SAW SOME DUST AND WIND COMING ACROSS THE GRASS FIELD. THE WIND PICKED UP HIS WING AND HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR A FENCE. THE TAILWHEEL STRUCK THE FENCE AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. REPORTEDLY, PREVAILING WIND VELOCITY WAS 25 GUSTING 40 KNOTS. THE AIRPORT HAD ANOTHER RUNWAY (03/21) THAT WAS 4800 FT LONG.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,249 hours in all; 288 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 1,132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,669 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 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: Virden/Manatoba at 4:10 pm
- Destination: Williston ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 6,041 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.