Cessna 170 accident near Durango, Colorado, June 22, 1999
On June 22, 1999 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4163V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Animas Air Park airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll. A factor was the high density altitude and the high vegetation (sagebrush).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1999 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Animas Air Park · 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
- N4163V · registry record · serial 18495
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the pilot's third landing attempt, the aircraft departed the right side of the runway. The right wheel exited the pavement, and he was unable to return completely back onto the runway. The airplane continued to the right, and the aircraft traveled at a high speed through sagebrush. In attempting to maneuver the aircraft back onto the runway, the airplane skidded sideways towards the west at a 90 degree angle from the runway. The aircraft tilted onto its left side, bounced back, and came to rest in an upright position. During landing, the aircraft's indicated airspeed was 60 knots, and the ground speed was approximately 85 knots. Density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be 9,422 feet.
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: 329 hours in all; 228 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1999; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAA Lamar CO at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 5CO0
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,010 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CEZ, 37 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.