# Accident 19960518047179A: Cessna 305A, Somerville, VA, May 18, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 18, 1996, 15:30 local time
- Place: Somerville, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5218° N, 77.6094° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Somerville, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5218&lon=-77.6094&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5261G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5261G-2018-02-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 305A (registry code 2074002, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-305a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 305A
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD96LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA081) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960518047179A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-16) AIRCRAFT PULLING A TOW BANNER WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED AND BEFORE STOPPING HIT 2 TREES CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. BANNER WOULD NOT RELEASE. NTSB REQUESTING FURTHER ENGINE RUNUP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD96LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA081), May 18, 1996: Cessna 205A (N5261G), Sommerville, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during banner towing operations.

## Other reports on N5261G (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19950711028839I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950711028839I), Jul 11, 1995: Cessna 305A (N5261G), Ashburn, VA, Minor damage. Engine quit on banner tow. Dropped banner. Landed on road. Blew tires. Bent prop. Fuel selector on empty tank.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.