What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A pilot was entrusted with the task of flying a friend's aircraft from oxford county regional airport in Maine, where it had recently been purchased, to deliver it to the new owner in Kansas. The aircraft had undergone its annual inspection in February 2022 but had not been subjected to a pre-buy inspection and lacked insurance coverage. Despite the pilot's extensive experience of over 5,000 hours in tail-dragging aircraft, he had no prior experience with this particular type of aircraft.
On September 14, 2023, at approximately 2:00 pm, the Cessna 305A made a routine landing at Cortland county airport in new york (N02) for refueling and to allow the pilot to rest. The approach and landing proceeded as expected. However, during the rollout phase, when the pilot applied the brakes, the aircraft unexpectedly overturned. Notably, the braking system of the Cessna 305A operates differently from that of most other aircraft. There was only one person on board, the pilot, managed to escape without any injuries. As a precaution, the pilot was transported to a hospital for a checkup. Later in the day, the pilot returned to the crash site.
It's worth mentioning that the weather conditions at the time exceeded the minimum requirements for visual flight rules (VFR), with winds at 6 knots and occasional gusts.
As the FAA filed it
A PILOT WAS ENTRUSTED WITH THE TASK OF FLYING A FRIEND'S AIRCRAFT FROM OXFORD COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT IN MAINE, WHERE IT HAD RECENTLY BEEN PURCHASED, TO DELIVER IT TO THE NEW OWNER IN KANSAS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION IN FEBRUARY 2022 BUT HAD NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO A PRE-BUY INSPECTION AND LACKED INSURANCE COVERAGE. DESPITE THE PILOT'S EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OF OVER 5,000 HOURS IN TAIL-DRAGGING AIRCRAFT, HE HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:00 PM, THE CESSNA 305A MADE A ROUTINE LANDING AT CORTLAND COUNTY AIRPORT IN NEW YORK (N02) FOR REFUELING AND TO ALLOW THE PILOT TO REST. THE APPROACH AND LANDING PROCEEDED AS EXPECTED. HOWEVER, DURING THE ROLLOUT PHASE, WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE AIRCRAFT UNEXPECTEDLY OVERTURNED. NOTABLY, THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE CESSNA 305A OPERATES DIFFERENTLY FROM THAT OF MOST OTHER AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON ON BOARD, THE PILOT, MANAGED TO ESCAPE WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. AS A PRECAUTION, THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL FOR A CHECKUP. LATER IN THE DAY, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE CRASH SITE.
IT'S WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME EXCEEDED THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR), WITH WINDS AT 6 KNOTS AND OCCASIONAL GUSTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.