Cessna 305A N5210G

Summary

On 31 March 2004 at about 16:45 local time, a Cessna 305A registered N5210G was involved in an accident near Bozeman, Montana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 2004 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Bozeman, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Gallatin Field (BZN)

Coordinates

45.6691, -111.1401

Aircraft

Cessna 305A

Registration

N5210G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Helena → Bozeman

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA061

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in the tail wheel-equipped aircraft, leading to an inadvertent ground-loop, during which the aircraft's wing impacted the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flare, touchdown, and initial part of the landing roll in the tail wheel equipped aircraft were normal and uneventful. But as the aircraft slowed, it suddenly swerved to the left, and the pilot's attempts to realign it with the runway were not successful. The aircraft therefore exited the left side of the runway and entered a ground loop. During the ground loop sequence, the right main gear leg partially folded under, and the right wing collided with the terrain. A post accident inspection of the aircraft's braking system, rudder system, and tail wheel did not reveal any evidence of a malfunction or anomaly that would have contributed to a loss of directional control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.