Cessna 170B accident near Ottumwa, Iowa, June 10, 1983
On June 10, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8077A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ottumwa, Iowa (Otiumwa Industrial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ottumwa, Iowa · Otiumwa Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8077A · registry record · serial 20929
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT CANCELED HIS VFR FLT PLAN WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE ARPT. AT THAT TIME, FSS PERSONNEL ADVISED HIM THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 190 DEG AT 14 KTS & THAT THE WIND FAVORED RWY 22. THERE WAS A TETRAHEDRON WIND INDICATOR NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF RWY 22 & 31. HOWEVER, THE PLT SELECTED RWY 31. WHILE ON THE LANDING ROLL, ABOUT 200 FT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT'S LEFT WING RAISED & THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT INTO THE X-WIND. IT CONTINUED OFF THE RWY ONTO SOD SURFACE WHERE THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DUG IN & COLLAPSED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,362 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 1,962 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K78 Abilene KS at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from OTM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.