Cessna 170A accident near Heath, Texas, August 7, 1991
On August 7, 1991 at about 10:49 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N9582A, was destroyed in an accident near Heath, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADVERTENT STALL FOLLOWING AN ABRUPT PULL UP WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE, AND THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO TO ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1991 · about 10:49 pm local time
- Place
- Heath, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9582A · no longer on the register · serial 19143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE ON A LOCAL LOW LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING SOUTHBOUND, PARALLEL TO HIGH TENSION POWER LINES, AT AN ALTITUDE ESTIMATED TO BE 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN SEEN TURNING EASTBOUND TOWARDS THE POWERLINES. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE WIRES, THE NOSE WAS ABRUPTLY PULLED UP AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH THE WINGS LEVEL IN AN ALMOST VERTICAL ATTITUDE. A POST-IMPACT FIRE ENGULFED THE AIRPLANE WITHIN SECONDS AFTER IMPACT. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT ON THE PILOT REVEALED A LEVEL OF 0.10% ETHANOL IN THE BLOOD, 0.09% IN THE VITREOUS FLUID, 0.14% IN THE URINE, 0.07% IN THE BILE, AND 0.05 MG/L DIPHENHYDRAMINE (BENADRYL) IN HIS SYSTEM.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 274 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: F26 Rockwall TX at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.