Cessna 170A accident near Baker Lake, Washington, February 11, 2011
On February 11, 2011, a Cessna 170A, registered N9768A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Baker Lake, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's encounter with soft terrain during an attempted takeoff from a dry lake bed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2011
- Place
- Baker Lake, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9768A · registry record · serial 19409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he performed about 20 touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings on the dry lake bed prior to the accident. He stated that the terrain was mostly flat, but in places it was uneven and rough. During the last landing, the airplane's wheels became bogged down in the soft terrain, and the propeller struck the ground. The pilot shut down the engine, inspected the propeller, and examined the planned takeoff path for suitability. Thereafter, he attempted to depart. As the airplane accelerated, the left main landing gear encountered an area of soft dirt. The airplane impacted a berm whereupon it nosed over, bending the wing structure and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot further reported that no mechanical malfunction had precipitated the accident.
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
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 477 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 371 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 2010; 34 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: Baker Lake WA
- Destination: BVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.