Cessna 170B accident near Rawlins, Wyoming, June 23, 2013
On June 23, 2013 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N170CW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rawlins, Wyoming (Rawlins airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and a high density altitude, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2013 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rawlins, Wyoming · Rawlins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N170CW · registry record · serial 20411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff, the tail wheel lifted off, but the airplane would not climb out of ground effect. He stated that he used all of the runway length, and did not reduce power in time to abort the takeoff. The airplane departed the runway surface into rough terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and both elevators. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He indicated that he was based at a sea level airport, and did not take into account the high density altitude (8,600 feet), which affected the airplane’s performance.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,068 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 876 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,097 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RWL Rawlins WY at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 3U2 Johnson Creek ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 7,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KRWL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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 WPR13CA282.