Cessna 170B accident near Palouse, Washington, January 8, 2021
On January 8, 2021 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 170B, registered N4344B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Palouse, Washington (Schoepflin airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper landing flare and loss of directional control and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2021 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palouse, Washington · Schoepflin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B NO SERIES, built 1955 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4344B · registry record · serial 26688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during an instructional flight, the student pilot’s landing flare was not sufficient to preclude a bounce. The student added power, and the airplane turned to the left toward hangars. The flight instructor took over the flight controls and continued the left turn to avoid hangars. The airplane departed the runway surface into a field. The wheels became stuck in the muddy ground and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The wings and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,174 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,046 as pilot in command; 448 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 27, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 69 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,173.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2020; 17 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 1,600 ft by 25 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPUW, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPUW 082153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT120 03/00 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP240 T00330000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos (Provided by Airport Operations) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.