Cessna 170A accident near Bakersfield, California, May 25, 1985
On May 25, 1985 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1401D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield Airpark). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1985 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1401D · registry record · serial 19984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT PLACED THE IGNITION KEY ON THE ACFT'S DASHBOARD & THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN OVER THE PROP BY HAND. ACFT WAS NOT TIED DOWN OR CHOCKED & THE ENG STARTED. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTRAIN THE RUNAWAY ACFT. AFTER BEING DRAGGED FOR SEVERAL YDS, THE PLT LET LOOSE. THE ACFT TRAVELLED FOR 50 TO 60 FT & COLLIDED WITH A HANGAR. EXAM OF THE ACFT'S IGNITION SWITCH DISCLOSED THAT IT WAS WORN & SET TO THE RIGHT MAGNETO 'ON' POSITION. DURING THE PLT'S PREFLIGHT INSPECTION HE FAILED TO DETECT THAT THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED WITHOUT FIRST TURNING THE SWITCH TO THE 'OFF' POSITION.
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
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 2,825 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L45 Bakersfield CA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: MFR Medford OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX85LA260.