Cessna 170B accident near Driggs, Idaho, August 11, 2015
On August 11, 2015 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 170B, registered N2369D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Driggs, Idaho (Driggs-Reed Memorial 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2015 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Driggs, Idaho · Driggs-Reed Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B, built 1952 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2369D · registry record · serial 20521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during touchdown for landing, a gust of wind blew the airplane to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct with control inputs, but the airplane continued to the right and exited the runway. The right main landing gear wheel dug in to the dirt and the airplane came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to fuselage, wings, horizontal stabilizer, and rudder. The wind reported from a weather station at the airport about the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot reported he was landing runway 21. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: military, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,567 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 16, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 2,880 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 5:00 pm
- Destination: DIJ Driggs ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 7,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from KDIJ
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 GAA15CA223.