Cessna 170B accident near Cameron Park, California, November 27, 2023
On November 27, 2023 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 170B, registered N170HT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cameron Park, California (Cameron Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the right brake master cylinder piston due to a faulty return spring, which resulted in a seized right main landing gear brake and a runway excursion
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2023 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Cameron Park, California · Cameron Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B, built 1952 · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N170HT · registry record · serial 20347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing at his destination airport when the airplane veered to the left after touchdown. . The pilot attempted to correct the movement and turn the airplane back to the runway centerline with the addition of power and right rudder inputs, but the airplane then veered to the right and departed the right side of the runway. The pilot did not recall experiencing any mechanical anomalies with the brakes during the accident flight and observed normal resistance during the landing. Postaccident examination of the brake system revealed that the right brake master cylinder failed to release pressure twice during testing and the piston had to be manually lifted before the cylinder would release pressure, which the pilot was unlikely to have been able to do during landing. The seized brake master cylinder was likely due to a deformed return spring that had bowed at some point during its service life. The manufacturer reported that the failure of the cylinder to release pressure would have resulted in a locked brake. Although the pilot could not recall if he applied brakes, both his and the witness’ recollection that the airplane abruptly turned right and departed the runway suggests that he may have applied right brake as the airplane was veering left. During this time the piston likely failed to release pressure due to the faulty return spring, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Master cylinder/brake valve › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 8,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,336 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A350-C1R (piston); 900 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MHR Rancho Cordova CA at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,051 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KMCC, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMCC 272115Z AUTO 32005KT 10SM CLR 15/01 A3013 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR24LA045.