No fatalities

5 Sep 2018: Cessna 305 A — Groveland, CA

Groveland, CA, United States

On 5 Sep 2018, a Cessna 305 A was involved in an aviation accident near Groveland, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent ground-loop. 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 ground looped after a three-point landing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and tailcone. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures.

Accident Details

A tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a ground loop during landing at an airport. According to the pilot, the accident occurred after a three-point landing when the left wing rose abruptly. The pilot applied left aileron to correct, but the airplane veered left. He then applied right pedal input, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway, and ground looped.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and tailcone.

Pilot Actions and Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Conditions

The pilot described the wind as light and variable. The automated weather observation station located at the airport, approximately 15 nautical miles away, reported that about five minutes after the accident, the wind was from 170 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot had landed on runway 27.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation