No fatalities

22 Nov 2009: CESSNA 305A — Rochester, IN

Rochester, IN, United States

On 22 Nov 2009, a CESSNA 305A was involved in an aviation accident near Rochester, IN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. 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

During landing, the pilot flared and the stall warning activated. The aircraft dropped from 6-12 inches, bounced, then veered left off the runway despite right rudder input, resulting in landing gear separation and structural damage.

Accident Overview

A pilot reported an accident that occurred while landing an airplane. According to the pilot's statement, the sequence of events began when he initiated the flare maneuver. During the flare, the stall warning system activated. The airplane then descended from an estimated height of 6 to 12 inches above the runway surface and bounced upon contacting the ground. When the airplane came back down after the bounce, the pilot lost directional control, and the airplane began to veer to the left. Despite the pilot's attempt to correct the deviation by applying right rudder, the airplane continued moving left and subsequently departed the runway.

Damage Assessment

The right main landing gear separated from the airplane during the accident. Additional damage was sustained to the right wing, right elevator, fuselage, propeller, and cowl. The pilot noted that no mechanical problems with the airplane existed prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot