- Date
- March 13, 1999, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Coalinga, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5188GCessna 305A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990313014609A
- Case key
- 45906
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane.
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
According to the pilot, he was familiar with the flight characteristics and operation of his conventional gear airplane. The pilot tried to perform a wheel landing on runway 32, but the airplane swerved. He then lost directional control and ground looped. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions were experienced during the flight. The local surface wind was from about 090 degrees, between 3 and 5 knots.
Factual narrative
On March 13, 1999, at 1315 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 305A, N5188G, owned and operated by the pilot, ground looped and impacted terrain during landing rollout at the uncontrolled Harris Ranch Airport, Coalinga, California. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Tracy, California, about 1200.
The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the conventional gear airplane, and he was familiar with its operation and flight characteristics. No mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the airplane during landing rollout on runway 32. Several airplanes had landed ahead of him without experiencing apparent difficulty.
In the pilot's completed report, he indicated that the local surface wind was from about 090 degrees, between 3 and 5 knots. The pilot reported that he tried to perform a wheel landing, but the airplane swerved. He then lost directional control and ground looped.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5188G
- Reported as
- Cessna 305A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22196
- Airframe hours
- 14,024
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11-A, 213 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Troy W. Cobb
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1998 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- TCY · Tracy, CA
- Destination
- 308
- Airport
- 308 · Harris Ranch, runway 32, 2,820 × 30 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 381 total · 99 in this make and model · 294 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NLC, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5188G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.