Cessna 170A accident near Mesquite, Nevada, May 23, 2021
On May 23, 2021 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1950 Cessna 170A, registered N9557A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mesquite, Nevada (Mesquite 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nosed over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2021 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mesquite, Nevada · Mesquite · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A, built 1950 · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9557A · no longer on the register · serial 19393
- 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 tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing rollout, he noted the wind was stronger than anticipated and the airplane was drifting toward the wind. He added rudder input to correct, with no effect, so he added additional rudder correction. He accidentally applied the brakes, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The rudder was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: sport pilot; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,453 hours in all; 115 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 12, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,952 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 2021; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Aerospace Technolo O-300-D (piston); 4,190 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02/2, 5,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 80°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from 67L
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 1, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.