Cessna 170B accident near Auburn, California, June 1, 2004
On June 1, 2004 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2915D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, California (Auburn Municipal 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 of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2004 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Auburn, California · Auburn Municipal 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
- N2915D · registry record · serial 26858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway and ground looped during the landing roll while the pilot was attempting to execute a three-point landing. The airplane touched down near the approach end of the runway directly over the runway centerline. During the transition to the landing roll, the airplane began to veer from the centerline, following the natural contours and incline of the runway. The airplane continued to veer to the right and departed the runway surface. The right main landing gear contacted a runway light fixture and the airplane ground looped. During the ground loop, the left main landing gear impacted an embankment, resulting in the left wing contacting the ground. The airplane incurred damage to the left elevator, wing tip, and landing gear. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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/WATER during landing - roll
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,375.6 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, May 10, 2004; 1.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: O52 Yuba City CA at 4:00 am
- Destination: AUN Auburn CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°C, dew point 45°C
- Altimeter: 29.870001 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 am from AUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 LAX04LA245.