Cessna 170B accident near Ellensburg, Washington, July 17, 1983
On July 17, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N3033A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellensburg, Washington (Bowers airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- July 17, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ellensburg, Washington · Bowers · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3033A · no longer on the register · serial 25677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS SUBJECTED TO A GUSTY TAILWIND JUST BEFORE TAKEOFF AND THE ACFT STARTED TO SKIP AND SKID WITH THE NOSE TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STARTED ABORT PROCEDURES AND SAID THE TAIL OF THE ACFT CONTINUED TO RISE UNTIL THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AT THEACCIDENT SITE. WEATHER DATA REMARKS SHOW CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT.
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: 176 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1982; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,847 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 008° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from YKM, 30 miles away
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.
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.