Cessna 170A accident near Durango, Colorado, April 11, 1987
On April 11, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N5579C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Amimas Air Park airport). 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 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 11, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Amimas Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N5579C · registry record · serial 19633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTS THAT HE WAS LANDING TO THE S WITH A RT QUARTERING HEADWIND OF ABOUT 20 KTS. HE SAID THAT DURING HIS ROLLOUT THE WIND SHIFTED TO A RT QUARTERING TAILWIND WITH A LARGE GUST. THE GUST RAISED THE TAIL AND RT WING AND THE ACFT DEPARTED THE RT SIDE OF THE RWY. AFTER LEAVING THE RWY THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH AND THE LT MLG BROKE OFF RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LT WING.
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: 465 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 398 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,269 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1986; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IVT Phoenix AZ at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.