Cessna 170A accident near New Milford, Connecticut, August 30, 2015
On August 30, 2015 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1961 Cessna 170A, registered N112RP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near New Milford, Connecticut (Candlelight Farms airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2015 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Milford, Connecticut · Candlelight Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A, built 1961 · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N112RP · registry record · serial 19422
- 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 he made a wheel landing on the grass runway, and during the landing roll let the tailwheel settle to the ground. When the tailwheel touched down, the tail moved to the right and the nose of the airplane veered to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and as it came to a stop it rolled to the right and the right wing and horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, aileron, right horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and the fuselage. 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 (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 304 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 19, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors C-145-2 (piston); 2,483 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: OXC Oxford CT at 12:35 pm
- Destination: 11N New Milford CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KDXR, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.