Cessna 170A accident near Mulino, Oregon, July 30, 2011
On July 30, 2011 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N9741A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mulino, Oregon (Mulino State airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructor's inadequate oversight of his student, and delayed recovery efforts following the student's loss of directional control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2011 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mulino, Oregon · Mulino State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9741A · registry record · serial 19406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the purpose of the flight was, in part, to provide the private pilot with recurrent training in furtherance of obtaining a flight review. The student was not current. Following performance of basic airwork in the conventional gear airplane, the CFI asked the student to perform a wheel landing. The CFI said that the student’s landing was successfully performed, but during rollout he exhibited a directional control deficiency. The airplane veered right during rollout on the subsequent landing, and the student attempted to regain directional control. The CFI reported that, due to his lengthy personal relationship with the student, he delayed acquiring control of the airplane. By the time he took the controls, it was too late to avoid the impending ground loop. As the airplane came to a stop on the runway’s gravel shoulder, the left main landing gear separated from the gear box, and the left wing broke.
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
- 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 › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,758 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 2,694 as pilot in command; 998 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 17, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,771 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 2011; 2 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: 7S9 Hubbard OR at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 4S9 Mulino OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,425 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.