Cessna 305A accident near Fruitdale, Alabama, July 15, 1990
On July 15, 1990 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N5301G, was destroyed in an accident near Fruitdale, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXERCISED POOR JUDGMENT BY ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WHILE IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1990 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fruitdale, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N5301G · registry record · serial 22808
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED OPERATING THE AIRPLANE IN AN ERRATIC MANNER. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM; HOWEVER, THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS INDICATED THAT HE HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .20%.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 83J Pensacola FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: OLV Olive Branch MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from MOB, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5301G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.