Cessna 170B accident near Kalispell, Montana, November 21, 1983
On November 21, 1983 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3747C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell City airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- November 21, 1983 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3747C · registry record · serial 26517
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD JUST SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER THE PLT EXPRIENCED ICING PROBLEMS IN FLT. THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR STOPPED WORKING IN FLT SO THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING A LANDING AND SAYS HE ALSO LOST ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 30 FT IN THE AIR DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR WHO EXAMINED THE ACFT THE WINGS CONTAINED ICE THAT HAD STREAKS OR MARKS ON IT AS IF SOMEONE TRIED TO REMOVE IT. THERE WAS ENOUGH LEFT HOWEVER TO AFFECT THE LIFTING QUALITIES OF THE WING, NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION.
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: 341 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 274 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Cranbrock
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 3,600 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from FCA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.