Cessna 170B accident near Toledo, Washington, January 26, 1997
On January 26, 1997 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N4590C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toledo, Washington (Toledo-Winlock 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 pilot's excessive application of the brakes on a tailwheel equipped aircraft. Factors include the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and a crosswind blowing at the time of the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 1997 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Toledo, Washington · Toledo-Winlock · 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
- N4590C · no longer on the register · serial 25534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing in a right crosswind, the right wing of the aircraft came up during the landing flare/touchdown. The pilot was unable to get the wing to come back down, and he therefore applied the brakes in an effort to maintain directional control. Because his braking became excessive, the tailwheel-equipped aircraft nosed over on the runway. The pilot reported that he did not use full aileron deflection in his attempt to get the wing to come down because he was afraid he might overcontrol.
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
- Flight time: 124 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,596 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1996; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: General Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TDO at 7:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,960 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°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 N4590C 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.