Cessna 170 accident near Zelienople, Pennsylvania, May 12, 2018
On May 12, 2018 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 170, registered N2485D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Zelienople, Pennsylvania (Zelienople Muni 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2018 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Zelienople, Pennsylvania · Zelienople Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 B, built 1952 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2485D · registry record · serial 20637
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during the landing roll with the tailwheel on the ground, the airplane may have encountered a wind gust. The airplane exited the runway to the left, and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left main landing gear attachment points, the lower fuselage longeron, and the elevator. The pilot reported that the wind at the airport about the time of the accident was variable at 4 knots and that skies were clear. The nearest METAR to the accident site, located 11 miles to the west, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 270° at 8 knots with lightning in the distance to the northwest. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 35. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had more quickly applied corrective actions, including increasing right rudder pedal pressure, using more differential braking, and increasing right aileron input. The pilot reported that there were no 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
- 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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 226.6 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 14.6 in the last 90 days; 2.5 in the last 30 days; 150.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 4, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,308.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 28, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 (piston); 3,309 hours total
- Operator: Draggin Tail Pilots LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: PJC Zelienople PA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: PJC Zelienople PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,933 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from KBVI, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA18CA278.