Cessna 170B accident near Randolph, New York, April 19, 2003
On April 19, 2003 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N118F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Randolph, New York (Randolph 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 failure to attain/maintain proper runway alignment. A factor in the accident was the sun glare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2003 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Randolph, New York · Randolph Airport · 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
- N118F · registry record · serial 25329
- 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, prior to the takeoff attempt, the glare from the setting sun obscured his view, and he aligned the airplane "too far south of the centerline." During the takeoff roll, the airplane struck a tree which bordered the east-west runway's southern edge. The pilot applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over. No mechanical anomalies were observed with the airplane, and winds, at an airport 17 miles to the east, were from the south at 7 knots.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,269 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,102 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 24, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,939.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2002; 11.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D85 Randolph NY at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 270, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KJHW, 12 miles away
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 IAD03LA047.