Cessna 170 accident near Hayden, Alabama, January 12, 2017
On January 12, 2017 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 1951 Cessna 170, registered N1387D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Hayden, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2017 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hayden, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 A, built 1951 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N1387D · no longer on the register · serial 19963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern to the turf runway. The private pilot recalled that the airplane was 800 ft above ground level (agl) and aligned with the runway, but he had no further recollection of the flight. A witness observed the airplane flying "low and slow" about 20 ft agl when the nose pitched upward, the airplane "stalled," and the left wing struck the ground. The airport owner stated that the trees at the approach end of the runway were damaged, and broken branches were found scattered at the base of the trees immediately after the accident. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage consistent with collision with trees and terrain. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hayden AL
- Destination: Hayden AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KBHM, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2017. 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 | Witness Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.