Cessna 305A N5213G
5 October 1998 · Warren, Vermont, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 5 October 1998 at about 18:30 local time, a Cessna 305A registered N5213G was involved in an accident near Warren, Vermont, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Warren, Vermont, United States
- Nearest airport
- Warren Sugarbush Airport (0B7)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A
- Registration
- N5213G
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD99FA004
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The glider pilot's failure to perform the emergency tow release and abort the takeoff. A factor in the accident was the glider pilot's improper decision to make repeated attempts to close the canopy in flight.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During takeoff for a glider tow operation, the towplane and the glider both became airborne. An FAA Inspector witnessed the takeoff and said his attention was drawn to the 'erratic pitch changes' of the glider. The glider pilot's canopy was open, and the pilot repeatedly attempted to close the canopy. Pitch changes and climbs above the tow plane accompanied each attempt to close the canopy. As the towrope reached a vertical position, the towplane struck the ground, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The towrope separated, and the glider continued past the towplane, rolled left to an inverted position and impacted the ground. The towrope in use at the time of the accident employed a 'Sweitzer Ring' to attach at the tow plane and a 'Tost Ring' to attach at the glider. Both rings were attached to their respective airplanes and both release mechanisms were operational. According to the 1998 Soaring Flight Manual sponsored by the Soaring Society of America: 'When the sailplane is too high, it can pull the tail of the towplane up, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the towplane to take off... If corrective action is not taken, the only alternative for the tow pilot is to release the towline...If for any reason, the sailplane pilot loses sight of the towplane, he should release immediately.'
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 305A 305A | N5213G | - | Destroyed |
| Burkhart Grob G 103C G 103C | N103VT | - | Destroyed |
Other Cessna 305 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Aug 1998 | Cessna 305 | Lantana, Florida, United States | Ronald Krolick | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 1998 | Cessna 305A | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 1998 | Cessna 305 | Fredricktown, Missouri, United States | John Robert Francis | No injuries | - |
| 22 Oct 1999 | Cessna 305C | Morganton, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 May 1999 | Cessna 305A | Hilltown, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 27 Jun 1997 | Cessna 305A | Watkins, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep 1998 | Piper J3L-65 | Morristown, Vermont, United States | Whitcomb Aviation Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 12 Oct 1998 | Cessna 172G | Bennington, Vermont, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Dec 1998 | Bell 47-G5 | Essex Junction, Vermont, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Feb 1998 | Cessna 172 | Rutland, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Extra Flugzeugbau FLUGZEUGBAU EA260 | Georgia, Vermont, United States | George S. COY | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1999 | American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC | Whiting, Vermont, United States | - | No injuries | - |