Cessna 170A accident near Minden, Nevada, April 30, 2010
On April 30, 2010 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N5765C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe 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
A main landing gear collapse during the landing roll due to fatigue cracking and corrosion of the strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2010 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N5765C · registry record · serial 19719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that, during the instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction was practicing three-point landings in preparation for his tailwheel endorsement. The first landing was harder than normal due to a higher-than-normal sink rate. During the next landing attempt, the airplane yawed to the left. The CFI took over the airplane controls and corrected toward the runway centerline. While correcting, he heard a loud snapping noise followed by a loud scraping noise and felt the airplane make a sudden left turn. Postaccident examination revealed that the left landing gear strut fractured at the inboard end. Examination of the landing gear fracture surface by an NTSB materials laboratory metallurgist revealed evidence of fatigue cracking, an overstress fracture, and corrosion 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,924 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,924 as pilot in command; 801 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 31, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 471 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 4, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,730 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 2009; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCXP Carson City NV at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KMEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 7,400 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:01 am from KMEV
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.
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.