Cessna 170B N170BN accident near Glennallen, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and impact with the ground.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed a remote, off-airport site to search for a moose he had shot earlier in the day. A witness observed the airplane perform a series of low-altitude maneuvers before flying by his location about 80 to 100 feet above the ground. The airplane then began a left turn, and the nose of the airplane pitched down abruptly and began to spin. The airplane subsequently descended vertically, nose first, and it collided with the tundra and brush-covered terrain.

A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Given the lack of mechanical deficiencies with the airplane and engine, the witness statements, and the nature of the damage to the airplane, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently stalled and spun the airplane at a low altitude and was unable to recover.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC13FA093 for the full record.