Cessna 170A accident near Twentynine Palm, California, May 1, 2003
On May 1, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1607D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Twentynine Palm, California (Twentynine Palms airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation and his failure to maintain aircraft control. The gusty wind condition was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Twentynine Palm, California · Twentynine Palms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1607D · registry record · serial 20249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing rollout the airplane encountered a gust of wind and nosed over. The pilot stated that approaching the airport he had received the local weather information from the airport's Unicom, which indicated the wind was from 320 degrees, at 12 knots, with occasional 28-knot gusts. The pilot made a straight-in approach and touched down without incident on runway 26. During the rollout, a wind gust was encountered. The pilot indicated that despite his efforts at maintaining airplane control, he lost control and the airplane nosed over on the runway.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,201 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,800 as pilot in command; 483 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 2002; 14 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: TSP Tehachapi CA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: TNP Twentynine Palm CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,531 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from NXP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1607D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.