# Accident 19991030042829A: Cessna 305A, Torrance, CA, October 30, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 1999, 14:20 local time
- Place: Torrance, CA
- Airport: Torrance Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8002° N, 118.3494° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8002&lon=-118.3494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5198G (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 305A
- Reported engine: CONT O47011B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,921 total, 1,336 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA028) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991030042829A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT HE HEARD THE AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE BROADCAST (ATIS). HE STATED, HOWEVER, THAT HE DID NOT REALIZE HE WOULD EXPERIENCE A QUARTERING TAILWIND DURING LANDING. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED A NORMAL THREE POINT TOUCHDOWN IN HIS CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE. THEREAFTER, HE LOST CONTROL, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE DIRT AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT A MALFUNCTION IN THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL WHEEL CONTROL SYSTEM CONTRIBUTED TO HIS INABILITY TO STEER THE AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WIND WAS FROM 300 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. (.4) ON OCTOBER 30, 1999, AT 1420 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 305A, N5198G, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT THE ZAMPERINI FIELD, TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  NEITHER THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT NOR THE PASSENGER WAS INJURED.  THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED                                                                      UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND IT ORIGINATED FROM CARLSBAD, CA. ABOUT 1315. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT HE HEARD THE AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE BROADCASTS (ATIS). HE STATED, HOWVER, THAT HE DID NOT REALIZE HE WOULD EXPERIENCE A QUARTERING TAILWIND DURING LANDING. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AT 300 DEGREES, 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED A NORMAL THREE-POINT TOUCHDOWN IN HIS TOUCHDOWN IN HIS CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE. AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, WHO WITSSES THE ACCIDENT, REPORTED THAT THE AIRPL ANE LANDED ON THE RUNWAY AND NO EVIDENCE OF BOUNCING WAS OBSERVED. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER ROLLING FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT FOR A (LEFT QUARTERING) TAILWIND. HOWVER, THE TAIL WHEEL STEERING DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THEREAFTER, HE LOST CONTROL, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE ADJACENT PLOWED FIELD, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT A MALFUNCTION IN THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL WHEEL CONTROL SYSTEM CONTRIBUTED TO HIS INABILITY TO STEER THE AIRPLANE. THE TAIL WHEEL ASSSEMBLY WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXAMINED. AN INTERNAL TAIL WHEEL CENTERING SPRING WAS FOUND BROKEN.    THE TOTAL TIME ON THE PART WAS ABOUT 400 HOURS.

## 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 LAX00LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA028), Oct 30, 1999: Cessna 305A (N5198G), Torrance, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of directional control during landing rollout due to the failure of the tail wheel control system. A contributing factor was the quartering tailwind condition.

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.

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