No fatalities

14 Jan 2017: CESSNA 170 B — Latitude Aviation — Coeur D'Alene, ID

Coeur D'Alene, ID, United States

On 14 Jan 2017, a CESSNA 170 B operated by Latitude Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Coeur D'Alene, ID. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to notice and correct the airplane being too low on final approach, leading to landing short of the runway threshold. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel airplane landed short of the runway threshold in about 3 feet of snow during final approach, causing the aircraft to nose over and sustain substantial damage to the left lift strut, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions.

Accident Overview

During the final approach phase of a flight, the pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane noted that the aircraft was too low. The pilot failed to notice and correct this situation. Subsequently, the airplane touched down short of the runway threshold, encountering approximately 3 feet of snow. The impact with the snow caused the airplane to nose over.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. Specifically, the left lift strut, the firewall, and the empennage sustained damage. The extent of the damage required extensive repairs.

Pilot Report

In a post-accident statement, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot indicated that the airplane was functioning properly before the accident.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to notice and correct the airplane being too low on final approach, leading to landing short of the runway threshold.

Contributing factors

Causes

Descent/approach/glide path — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome