- Date
- October 30, 1999, 14:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Torrance, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5198GCessna 305A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991030042829A
- Case key
- 47675
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 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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot performed a normal three-point touchdown in his conventional gear airplane on runway 11R, when the wind was from 300 degrees at 10 knots. After rolling out for several hundred feet he applied right rudder to correct for the left quartering tailwind condition. The tail wheel steering did not function properly. The pilot lost control of his airplane, and it veered off the runway into the adjacent plowed field and nosed over. The tail wheel assembly was subsequently examined. An internal tail wheel centering spring was found broken. The total time on the part was about 400 hours.
Factual narrative
On October 30, 1999, at 1420 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 305A, N5198G, owned and operated by the pilot, veered off the runway and 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, California about 1315.
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 wind was reported at 300 degrees, 10 knots.
The pilot further reported that he performed a normal three-point touchdown in his conventional gear airplane. An air traffic controller, who witnessed the accident, reported that the airplane 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. However, 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 assembly was subsequently examined. An internal tail wheel centering spring was found broken. The total time on the part was about 400 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5198G
- Reported as
- Cessna 305A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 21831
- Airframe hours
- 15,036
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11B, 213 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John E. Madison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1999 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Destination
- TOA
- Airport
- TOA · Torrance, runway 11R, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,921 total · 1,336 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TOA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.