Cessna 170B accident near Brandy Station, Virginia, June 29, 2003
On June 29, 2003 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2741C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brandy Station, Virginia (Culpepper Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and his improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2003 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Brandy Station, Virginia · Culpepper Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2741C · registry record · serial 26285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a three point landing (full stall landing). He flared high, and the tailwheel contacted the runway first. The main landing struck the runway, and the airplane bounced back into the air. The pilot added power, and the airplane rolled left, and struck the ground again. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway. The pilot's total flight experience was 208 hours, including 28 hours in tail wheel airplanes, all in make and model. He reported that he had performed about 30 three point landings, and 20 wheel landings. Although the pilot reported that the airplane was struck by a gust of wind, a check of the airport weather revealed calm winds.
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: 205 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 2002; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P53 Belle Vernon PA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: CJR Brandy Station VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 pm from CJR
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.
Other NTSB records under N2741C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 NYC03LA141.