Cessna 170A accident near Fort Myers, Florida, January 24, 1991
On January 24, 1991 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1279D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida (Tuckers Corner airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN-FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT WHICH CAUSED THE AIRSPEED TO DECREASE BELOW VSO RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1991 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Tuckers Corner · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1279D · registry record · serial 20125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 80 FT WHILE OVER TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT BEGAN TO SINK & THE LT WING STALLED. THE ACFT DESCENDED LT WING LOW COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND. THE PLT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ENG FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION & THE STALL WARNING DID NOT OPERATE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE HIGH SINK RATE WAS DUE TO A DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT RATED PASSENGER STATED THAT JUST PRIOR TO THE WING STALLING, HE OBSERVED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR ABRUPTLY FELL FROM 60-50 MPH. THE STALL SPEED IN THE ACFT CONFIGURATION WAS REPORTEDLY 54 MPH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 233 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 105 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1990; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: X14 La Belle FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 1,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from FMY, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.