Cessna 170A accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 30, 1997
On September 30, 1997 at about 9:46 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N10433, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Will Rogers World airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions resulting in an inadvertent groundloop. Factors were the crosswind, the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model, the separation of the left main wheel due to corroded bolts, and the inadequate annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1997 · about 9:46 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Will Rogers World · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N10433 · registry record · serial 20128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll in a right crosswind, the tailwheel airplane had slowed to 25 mph when it veered to the right and groundlooped. There was a hard shimmy and vibration, and the airplane turned 110 degrees at which point the left main wheel and axle separated from the airframe. The pilot had one hour in the make and model of aircraft. The FAA airworthiness inspector found that the threads from the 'top two nuts and one lower nut were stripped from their bolts holding the axle on the landing gear.' The last annual inspection was performed on 9/1/97. The FAA airworthiness inspector stated that the 'appearance of the aircraft is a generally neglected condition, with worn door hinges, poor operating door latches, fogged instrument glass, and corrosion in plain view.' Maintenance records were not submitted to the Safety Board for review.
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: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F29 at 9:30 pm
- Destination: OKC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 9,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from OKC
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW97LA372.