Cessna 170A accident near Mexia, Texas, September 5, 2000
On September 5, 2000 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1447D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mexia, Texas (Limestone County Muni 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors were the gusty crosswind and the pilot's failure to perform a go-around upon encountering a windshift/crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2000 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mexia, Texas · Limestone County Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1447D · registry record · serial 20030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a short 15-minute flight, the student pilot encountered some light turbulence and windy flight conditions. While approaching mid-field at his destination, the 'windsock showed that the wind was blowing from the south.' He set up for a normal full flaps approach to Runway 18, and on final, the wind shifted to north-northeast. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the left. Control corrections were not effective, as the aircraft skidded off the runway to the left onto grass, and impacted a dirt mound at a 90-degree angle. The aircraft came to rest heading about 360 degrees. The main landing gears were sheared, the landing gear box was structurally damaged and the fuselage was buckled adjacent to the passenger side doorframe. The nearest full service weather reporting facility, located approximately 36 miles east of the accident site, reported wind from 090 at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F68 Teague TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: LXY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ACT, 36 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.