Cessna 170 accident near Summerdale, Alabama, January 29, 2026
On January 29, 2026 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1948 Cessna 170, registered N4178V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Summerdale, Alabama (Bonner Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining, which resulted in a runway overrun and impact with a fence post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2026 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Summerdale, Alabama · Bonner Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170, built 1948 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4178V · registry record · serial 18511
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting to take off from a 2,100-ft-long turf runway the pilot observed an abnormal airspeed indication and aborted the takeoff. The airplane then overran the runway, impacted a fence post with the left main landing gear, and nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer. After the accident, the pilot suspected that the pitot tube butterfly cover may have become stuck resulting in the erroneous airspeed indication. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s pitot tube butterfly cover by an FAA inspector revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Had the pilot aborted the takeoff sooner, or continued the takeoff despite the airspeed indication anomaly, it is likely that the accident could have been prevented.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 10.4 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 4, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,571.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2026; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Company C145 SERIES (piston); 2,128 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,600 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from CQF, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCQF 291655Z AUTO 08004KT 10SM CLR 11/M04 A3027 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA101.