Cessna 170B accident near Livermore Falls, Maine, August 23, 2025
On August 23, 2025 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1953 Cessna 170B, registered N170JL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Livermore Falls, Maine (Bowman Field 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 adequate airspeed during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2025 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Livermore Falls, Maine · Bowman Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B, built 1953 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N170JL · registry record · serial 25560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that purpose of the flight was to conduct two takeoffs and landings as part of a short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition. Runway 20 was in use, with winds from the south at 5 knots, gusting to 10 knots. Following the second takeoff, ground personnel advised the pilot that wind conditions had increased. During the second landing, at an altitude of about 20 ft above ground level (agl), the pilot inadvertently allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay as it approached the intended touchdown point, and the left wing stalled. He attempted to correct for the stalled condition but was unable to regain control of the airplane. A spectator positioned near the accident site recorded the accident sequence. Review of the spectator-recorded video showed the airplane descending from about 20 ft agl in a nose-up attitude. The left wing dropped and contacted the ground, and the airplane rotated to the left. The nose subsequently impacted the ground, and the airplane continued to rotate left and came to rest about 180° from its original direction of flight. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,818 hours in all; 1,219 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,818 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2025; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: B10 Livermore Falls ME at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,201 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from AUG, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAUG 231853Z AUTO VRB06G20KT 10SM CLR 29/12 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP151 T02940122 PWINO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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 | NTSB 6120 1 Form | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Video | video | 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.