Cessna 170B accident near Concord, California, June 21, 2012
On June 21, 2012 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N1640D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Concord, California (Buchanan Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2012 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California · Buchanan Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1640D · registry record · serial 20282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a landing in gusting crosswind conditions in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the landing flare, a wind gust lifted the airplane’s right wing. The pilot applied corrective control input and then landed. After he parked the airplane, the pilot realized that the airplane’s left wing had contacted the runway during the landing flare, causing substantial damage to the aileron and outboard wing skins. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- 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: 1,000 hours in all; 408 in this make and model; 900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E45 Groveland CA at 10:20 pm
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 2,770 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KCCR
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.
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 WPR12CA273.