Cessna 170B accident near Truckee, California, February 29, 2008
On February 29, 2008 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2571D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe 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 continued operation with a known mechanical problem and failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 29, 2008 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe · 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
- N2571D · registry record · serial 20723
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to takeoff, the pilot had conducted left and right clearing circles, and was aware that the right brake was "spongy." He decided to continue with the flight and took off on a local area flight that lasted for an hour. Upon returning to the airport, he noted that there was a southerly crosswind about 10-13 knots. The pilot performed a normal wheel-landing and the airplane began to weathervane to the left of the runway on the rollout. The pilot activated the right rudder and brake pedal to correct back to centerline, but the airplane continued to the left of the runway. As the airplane continued off the runway's edge into snow, the left main tire caught in the snow, pivoted the airplane, and the airplane came to rest on its nose. The airplane's braking system was inspected by an FAA inspector who noted that the right brake was "spongy," and that with very little applied force to the pedal it would "bottom out."
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 during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from TRK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.