- Date
- September 5, 2018, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Groveland, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N119PPCessna 305
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180905016189A
- Case key
- 98692
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 with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent ground-loop.
Findings · 3
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, after a three-point landing, the left wing "raised up abruptly," so he corrected with left aileron, but the airplane veered left. He then corrected with right pedal, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway, and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and tail cone. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable. An automated weather observation station located about 15 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 170° at 6 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, after a three-point landing, the left wing "raised up abruptly" so he corrected with left aileron, but the airplane veered left. He then corrected with right pedal, but the airplane continued left, exited the runway and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and tailcone. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was light and variable. The automated weather observation station located on the airport about 15 NM away, reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 170° at 6 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N119PP
- Reported as
- Cessna 305 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22787
- Built
- 1951
- Airframe hours
- 5,296.9
- Engine
- Continental O-470-15, 215 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 22, 2018
- Departed
- O22 · Columbia, CA
- Destination
- E45 · Groveland, CA
- Airport
- E45 · Pine Mountain Lake, runway 27, 3,624 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 15, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 355 total · 71 in this make and model · 203 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KO22, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.