Cessna 170B accident near Redlands, California, April 23, 2006
On April 23, 2006 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3190A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redlands, California (Redlands Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student's inadequate compensation for the crosswind gust and failure to maintain directional control. Also causal was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight, and his failure to maintain directional control. A factor was control interference between the two pilots during the initial stages of the loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2006 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Redlands, California · Redlands Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3190A · no longer on the register · serial 25834
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll the pilots lost directional control of the airplane and swerved off the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged upon hitting a fence and came to rest in a gully 200 to 300 feet north of the runway. The certified flight instructor (CFI) indicated that he was providing dual instruction to his student, and they lost control of the airplane upon encountering a 90-degee, 10-knot, wind gust. He also reported that during the mishap there was control interference difficulties between himself and the student that made regaining control difficult.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,137 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 3,093 as pilot in command; 131 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L12 Redlands CA
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,505 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.