Cessna 170B accident near Moab, Utah, May 15, 2010
On May 15, 2010 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8379A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Moab, Utah (Canyonlands airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2010 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Moab, Utah · Canyonlands · 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
- N8379A · registry record · serial 25231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing landings during a proficiency check ride. He was doing a wheel landing and noticed another airplane holding short for takeoff. He tried to expedite clearing the runway at the A-4 taxiway before reaching a speed slow enough to allow for a safe exit from the runway. He hit the brakes hard and lost directional control. The airplane skidded off the runway, and the tail hit the taxiway sign. The rear fuselage and empennage sustained substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,153 hours in all; 640 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,045 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 20, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,664 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,580 as pilot in command; 326 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 28, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2010; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNY Moab UT at 4:15 pm
- Destination: CNY Moab UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KCNY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR10CA243.