Cessna 170 accident near Cortez, Colorado, September 10, 1989
On September 10, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N170LF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cortez, Colorado (Cortez Montezuma airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cortez, Colorado · Cortez Montezuma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N170LF · no longer on the register · serial 18271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE LANDED, THE ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY OFF THE RWY CENTERLINE, SO HE COMPENSATED BY APPLYING RUDDER. HOWEVER, HE SAID HE OVER CORRECTED & THE ACFT GROUNDLOOPED. SUBSEQUENTLY, ITS RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE SURFACE & WAS DAMAGED.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crawford Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 6V6 Nucla CO at 4:15 pm
- Destination: CEZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,105 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.