- Date
- July 13, 1995, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Warren, VT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5204GCessna 305A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950713018319A
- Case key
- 39005
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
a failed elevator cable which resulted in an inflight loss of control and uncontrolled contact with trees.
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 was returning the airplane to the airport, after towing a glider. In the traffic pattern, the elevator control seized and the pilot was unable to control the descent, after which the airplane impacted trees. Examination revealed the elevator cable had failed near a pulley. The airplane had last been inspected 75 hours prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 13, 1995, at 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 305A, N5204G, struck trees while on approach to land at Warren Sugarbush Airport, Warren, Vermont. The Airline Transport rated pilot, received minor injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local glider towing flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and had departed at 1520.
The airplane had been used for several flight during the day, towing gliders aloft. In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:
The tow was normal and the glider released at 3,800 FT AGL. Returned to the airport, entered the traffic pattern for a landing on rw 22, the elevator control cable seized and I was unable to control the descent of the aircraft. The A/C impacted in the trees about 1/2 mile NNE of the airport. Time was about 3:30 EDT.
An FAA Inspector examined the wreckage and in a report stated:
The up elevator cable appeared to have broken prior to the crash and showed signs of wear. (station: 110) The elevator cable pulley may also have been binding. (station: 110) The rest of the aircraft and cables appeared to be in a well maintained condition....
After a discussion with the aircraft owner...about the inspections requirements and the difficulty of inspections in this area of the aircraft. [The owner]...contacted several other soaring associations and initiated a reinspection of all aircraft elevator cables in this area. Several aircraft were found to have evidence of elevator cable wear and corrective action has been initiated.
In a telephone interview, the FAA reported that they were unable to determine if the inspection on the airplane had been inadequate due to the length of time (75 hours) between the previous inspection and the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5204G
- Reported as
- Cessna 305A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22496
- Airframe hours
- 19,110
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11B, 213 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Sugarbush Soaring Assoc.
- Registered owner
- Laundramatics Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 10, 1995 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- 0B7
- Airport
- 0B7 · Warren Sugarbush, runway 22, 2,575 × 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
- 68
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 31,110 total · 1,800 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.