Cessna 170B accident near Alliance, Nebraska, February 21, 1986
On February 21, 1986 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3400C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alliance, Nebraska. 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 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
- February 21, 1986 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Alliance, Nebraska · 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
- N3400C · registry record · serial 26443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD JUST COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA AND WAS RETURNING TO LAND ON HIS RANCH PROPERTY SOUTH OF ALLIANCE. WIND RPTS FM THE ALLIANCE AIRPORT, AND THE FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION IN SCOTTSBLUFF, INDICATED WINDS GENERALLY FM THE SOUTHWEST TO WEST AT SPEEDS FM 14 TO 26 KNOTS. THE PLT WAS AWARE OF THE WIND CONDITIONS IN THE AREA, BUT LANDED DOWNWIND ON A ROAD HE USES FOR A LANDING STRIP ON HIS RANCH PROPERTY. THE PLT LOST CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE WING STRUCK TERRAIN DURING THE DEPARTURE FM THE ROAD SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 1,200 hours in all; 928 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1,131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,813 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A1A Alliance NE at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from A1A, 12 miles away
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.
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.