Cessna 305A accident near Belen, New Mexico, July 17, 1993
On July 17, 1993 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N5214G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Alexander Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS: A QUARTERING TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1993 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Alexander Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N5214G · registry record · serial 22514
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A WHEELS LANDING ON RUNWAY 03, TOUCHING DOWN 1,100 FEET BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. AFTER ROLLING APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT. RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE WAS APPLIED BUT THIS WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO GROUND LOOP AND NOSE OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,434 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1993; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E98 Los Lunas NM at 4:00 pm
- Destination: E80
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.