Cessna 170A accident near Eastsound, Washington, January 6, 2001
On January 6, 2001 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1703D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eastsound, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat prior to reducing engine power to idle while operating in serious carburetor icing conditions. Factors include serious carburetor icing conditions, and trees in the area where the pilot found it necessary to attempt a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2001 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eastsound, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1703D · no longer on the register · serial 20146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who had not ascertained the temperature-dew point spread prior to departure, took off for a local personal pleasure flight in conditions that were conducive to serious carburetor icing at climb, cruise, or glide power. During the 10 minutes that he flew around the local area with the engine at a full-rich cruise power setting, he did not activate the carburetor heat in order to check for ice accumulation in the carburetor throat. When he returned to the airport to enter the VFR pattern, he reduced the throttle to idle at the same time as he applied the carburetor heat. After he turned final and pushed the throttle forward to add power, he discovered that the engine had quit. A post-accident teardown inspection of the engine and carburetor established that there was fuel present in those systems, and that there was no evidence of any malfunction or anomaly that would have contributed to a loss of power.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 2000; 1 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: ORS at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FHR, 10 miles away
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.