Cessna 170B accident near Burlington, Connecticut, October 6, 1989
On October 6, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N727Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Connecticut (Juhnnycake 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 AIRCRAFT COLLIDING WITH A STEEL DRUM PLACED ON THE RUNWAY BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S) TO MARK A POTHOLE AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Connecticut · Juhnnycake
- 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
- N727Z · registry record · serial 25542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RUNWAY HAS A CROWN. THERE WAS CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT. AFTER LANDING THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT, BUT STILL ON THE RUNWAY. AS IT PASSED OVER THE CROWN, THE PILOT SAW A STEEL DRUM AHEAD AND WAS UNABLE TO AVOID IT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE DRUM AND GROUNDLOOPED. THE DRUM WAS PLACED ON THE RUNWAY BY UNKNOWN PERSONS TO MARK A POTHOLE AREA OF THE RUNWAY. NO NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED. THE RUNWAY WAS IN A POOR STATE OF REPAIR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,315 hours in all; 1,832 in this make and model; 2,266 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1988; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRGP Farmingdale NY at 5:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,420 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°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.
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.