# NTSB LAX04LA094: Cessna 305A, N305BD, Casa Grande, AZ, January 14, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 14, 2004, 15:26 local (22:26 UTC) - Place: Casa Grande, AZ - Coordinates: 32.954723, -111.766944 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9547&lon=-111.7669&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58627 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58627/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA094 ## Probable cause The failure of a tail wheel steering component (spring), which resulted in a loss of directional control and a ground loop during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the soft terrain adjacent to the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - flare/touchdown - miscellaneous,bolt/nut/fastener/clamp/spring - failure,total (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - directional control - not possible - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot lost directional control during landing. During the landing rollout, the airplane veered off the side of the runway, entered a sandy area adjacent to the runway and ground looped. At the time, the wind was nearly calm. The pilot had planned to touch down in a three-point configuration, but the airplane was not fully stalled. Upon touchdown it bounced about 1 foot into the air, and touched down again. Neither touchdown was hard. During the landing roll the pilot applied pressure to the rudder pedals in an effort at maintaining directional control. However, despite application of engine power and rudder pressure, his efforts were unsuccessful, and directional control was lost. During the subsequent airframe examination, one of the airplane's tail wheel rudder control springs was found broken. ## Factual narrative On January 14, 2004, about 1526 mountain standard time, a Cessna 305A, N305BD, ground looped during landing rollout at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport, Casa Grande, Arizona. The airplane was owned/operated by the pilot, and it was substantially damaged. Neither the airline transport certificated pilot nor the passenger was injured. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated about 2 hours earlier from Blythe, California. The pilot verbally reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that he had recently purchased the airplane, and he was in the process of flying it to his North Carolina home. The pilot indicated that the wind was nearly calm when he landed on runway 05. However, upon touchdown the airplane bounced. During his recovery, he lost directional control when the airplane began swerving. In the pilot's completed "Aircraft Accident Report," he described the sequence of events leading to the accident in the following manner: I made contact with the runway in a three-point configuration, but I was not in a full stall. I ballooned into the air about a foot coming back to contact the runway in a full stall three-point landing, but with the nose of the aircraft about 10 to 15 degrees off to the right. It felt as if the right wing stalled a fraction of a second before the left wing, causing it to swing. This may not be what happened to the wing. While I was trying to straighten the aircraft with the left rudder and a short burst of power, the right wheel got off into the sand causing a ground loop to the right. The pilot subsequently indicated to the Safety Board investigator that the accident touchdown had not been perfect, but it was definitely not hard. After touching down and observing the airplane begin to swerve, he applied full left rudder in an effort at regaining directional control. However, his effort was unsuccessful. When the pilot completed the Safety Board's "Aircraft Accident Report" he indicated that no mechanical malfunction was related to the accident. However, following the airplane's subsequent examination the pilot verbally reported to the Safety Board investigator that one of the airplane's tail wheel rudder control springs was broken. The pilot also reported that he has over 4,000 hours of accident and incident free piloting experience in tail wheel airplanes, with over 400 hours in a Cessna 305A. He reported a total pilot time in excess of 28,000 hours. The airplane was manufactured in the mid-1950s. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N305BD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N305BD), registered now, S/N 22761, built 1950 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 305A - Registry model: [Cessna 305A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-305a) (registry code 2074002) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22761 - Airframe hours: 7000 - Engines: Continental O-470-11B 213 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Edward M. Robinson - Registered owner: Doris L. Robinson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 15, 2003, 16 hours before - Departed: BLH, Blythe, CA - Destination: CGZ, Casa Grande, AZ - Airport: CGZ, Casa Grande Municipal, runway 05, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: none; flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 20, 2003; seat: front; flight hours: 28,000 total, 400 in this make and model, 16,000 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: CGZ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040114008299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040114008299A), Jan 14, 2004: Cessna 305A, Casa Grande, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot bounced the aircraft when attempting to land at cgz. Following bounce, the pilot lost control of the aircraft then ground looped. Left main landing… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.