Cessna 170B accident near Jamestown, New York, August 14, 1997
On August 14, 1997 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3454C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jamestown, New York (Chautauqua County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 control of the airplane during a crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1997 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Jamestown, New York · Chautauqua County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3454C · registry record · serial 26497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during a landing to Runway 25, the wind was from 350 degrees at 6 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The airplane turned to the right due to a rear quartering tailwind. He lost control of the airplane and 'ground looped.' The airplane rotated approximately 180 degrees, and the left main landing gear collapsed into the fuselage.
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: 1,027 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 881 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,621 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-340-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JHW at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,299 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from JHW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.