- Date
- August 29, 2026, 12:23 local (17:23 UTC)
- Place
- Midland, TX · RW16R
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N41362Cessna Claassen 305A(0-1A)
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 8, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 203721
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he performed a three-point landing in gusting wind conditions. During the landing roll, the wind lifted the right wing and he attempted to correct with right aileron, but the right wing struck the ground. The airplane then skidded to the left and he attempted to correct with rudder before the left wing struck the ground. The airplane nosed down and came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the top of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he and other pilots in the area observed dust devils during the flight. Based on the observed conditions, it is possible that that airplane encountered a dust devil during landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41362
- Reported as
- Cessna Claassen 305A(0-1A) (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22587
- Built
- 1951
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11B, 213 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bird Dog N41362 LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2025
- Departed
- KMDD · Midland, TX
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- MAF · Midland International Air and Space Port, runway 16R, 9,501 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2025
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 937 total · 240 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KMAF
- METAR
- METAR KMAF 291653Z 19011G17KT 10SM CLR 33/16 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP147 T03280161 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 8, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 MB in all.