Cessna 170A accident near Grangeville, Idaho, August 28, 2011
On August 28, 2011 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1238D, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Grangeville, Idaho (Hungry Ridge Ranch Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2011 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Grangeville, Idaho · Hungry Ridge Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1238D · no longer on the register · serial 19792
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the single-engine airplane stated that he took off from the remote grass airstrip, which had 80-foot-tall pine trees along both sides. Shortly after takeoff the pilot heard a bang and the airplane veered right. The pilot tried to correct the flight path; however, the airplane descended and impacted pine trees about 300 feet east of the departure end of the airstrip. The pilot was able to extract himself from the cockpit before the airplane was consumed by a postaccident fire. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector and the county sheriff inspected the control cables of the airplane and found them all to be connected and continuous between the flight control surfaces and the cockpit controls.
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 in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
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 › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 580 hours in all; 580 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,389 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 2011; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 37ID Grangeville ID at 1:20 pm
- Destination: 37ID Grangeville ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,680 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KGIC, 12 miles away
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.