Cessna 170A accident near Marston Mills, Massachusetts, January 9, 1987
On January 9, 1987 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N5571C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marston Mills, Massachusetts (Cape Cod airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- January 9, 1987 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Marston Mills, Massachusetts · Cape Cod
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N5571C · registry record · serial 19624
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS ON AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY MISSION BUT DUE TO THE HEAVY CLOUD COVER, THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE ENGINE QUIT BEFORE REACHING THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL WHILE THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 2 GALLONS
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,247 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 3,225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chatham MA at 4:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N5571C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.