Cessna 170B accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico, June 1, 1998
On June 1, 1998 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N1896C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico (Los Alamos 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 the wind conditions. Contributing factors were the crosswinds, the fence, and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1998 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Los Alamos, New Mexico · Los Alamos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1896C · registry record · serial 26041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a wheel landing on runway 27 (5,500 ft. x 75 ft., elevation 7,171 feet) which is located on top a mesa with trees lining the south side. He stated that he requested an airport advisory which gave the wind at S-SE for 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots. When the airplane touched down, it began to 'weathervane,' and it exited the runway to the left striking a ditch and fence. The density altitude was 10,459 feet, at the time of the accident.
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: 520 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,197 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1998; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q14 Espanola NM at 8:45 pm
- Destination: LAM NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LAM
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.
Other NTSB records under N1896C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.