Aviat Aircraft INC A 1 accident near Cody, Wyoming, August 28, 2017
On August 28, 2017, a 2000 Aviat Aircraft INC A 1, registered N335SB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cody, Wyoming (Yellowstone Rgnl airport). It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2017
- Place
- Cody, Wyoming · Yellowstone Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A 1 B, built 2000 · all A 1s on the register
- Registration
- N335SB · registry record · serial 2090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on the asphalt surface of runway 4 with full flaps and about 40 knots airspeed. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, a wind gust struck the airplane's left side, the airplane ground looped to the left, and the right-wing strut collided with the 7,000-ft runway distance marker. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the wing spar. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots. No wind gusts were reported at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,777 hours in all; 610 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 19, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 610 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 610 hours total
- Operator: Park County Sheriffs Office
The flight
- Departed from: COD Cody WY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: COD Cody WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 8,268 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KCOD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 27, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.