Cessna 170B accident near Nampa, Idaho, April 23, 2004
On April 23, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8252A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nampa, Idaho (Nampa Municipal 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 right seat pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the initial part of the landing roll, and his improper handling of the aircraft (excessive braking) as the aircraft departed the side of the runway. Factors include the pilot's lack of recent experience in this make and model aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nampa, Idaho · Nampa Municipal · map
- 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
- N8252A · registry record · serial 25104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the left seat, who had purchased the aircraft the day prior to the accident, started the flight by making two takeoffs and two full-stop landings. Both of his takeoff rolls were uneventful with no directional control difficulties, but because he was having trouble with directional control during landing, it was decided that the more experienced tail wheel pilot in the right seat would perform a takeoff and landing, during which the pilot in the left seat would keep his hands and feet on the controls in order to feel the control inputs made by the other pilot. The pilot in the right seat experienced "some difficulty" during the takeoff, but he was unsure if it was related to having the left seat pilot on the controls with him. He then made a landing, touching down near the centerline, and pulling the yoke to the "full back" position, while making sure the engine was at idle. Although the initial touchdown was uneventful, soon thereafter the aircraft veered to the right, and the pilot applied left rudder in an attempt to return it to the runway heading. Seeing that the application of rudder alone was not adequate, the pilot applied heavy left brake, but the aircraft continued to the right and exited the right side of the runway. As the aircraft exited the runway, the right seat pilot began applying right brake also, and soon thereafter the aircraft nosed over onto its back. Inspection and testing of the aircraft did not reveal any indication that there had been a brake malfunction or any anomaly in the rudder/tail wheel steering system that would have created an uncontrollable situation. In addition it was determined that although the right seat pilot had about 25 hours in this make and model airplane, it had been "many years" since he had flown one.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 19,500 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 488 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 417 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 9, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,347 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2003; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S67 Nampa ID at 7:15 pm
- Destination: S67
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N8252A 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.