Cessna 170 accident near Plainville, Connecticut, June 9, 2013
On June 9, 2013 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N2585V, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Plainville, Connecticut (Robertson Field). 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 overflight of the landing runway during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight which resulted in his failure to detect water contamination of the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2013 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plainville, Connecticut · Robertson Field · 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
- N2585V · no longer on the register · serial 18090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, as he reduced power, he incrementally increased the flap settings to 10, 20 and 30 degrees on the downwind leg on the west side of the runway. He added that he applied carburetor heat when he increased the flap setting to 20 degrees. At 80 mph, with 30 degrees of flaps extended and before turning to the base leg of the traffic pattern, the engine experienced a total loss of power. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane flew from west to east across the runway, rather than turning toward the runway, and crashed in marshland on the east side of the runway abeam the numbers. The fuel system was sumped from three points, and each sample contained a significant quantity of water. The fuel system was drained, the airplane was serviced with fresh fuel, and an engine start was initiated. The engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption. Examination of the seals around the fuel caps revealed that they were unserviceable, and no longer functioned as designed. Over 3 inches of rain fell between the previous flight and the accident flight and likely entered the fuel tanks through the seals around the fuel caps.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Fuel contamination during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 407 hours in all; 56 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,739 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMK Meriden CT
- Destination: 4B8 Plainville CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,665 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KHFC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 3, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Memorandum) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Witness and Pilot Statements | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Noaa Rainfall Statement | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Hfd METAR | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 1. View of Main Wreckage as Found (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 2. View of Fuel Samples from Wing Sump, Carburetor and Gascolator | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2585V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.