Cessna 305A accident near Slatington Airport, Pennsylvania, October 17, 2013
On October 17, 2013 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1950 Cessna 305A, registered N305CR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Slatington Airport, Pennsylvania (Slatington Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land with a tailwind condition and the airfield's inaccurate windsock.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2013 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Slatington Airport, Pennsylvania · Slatington Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A A, built 1950 · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N305CR · registry record · serial 21483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was on a stabilized approach to runway 1. During the landing flare the airplane began drifting to the right. The pilot stated that he applied left rudder to compensate for the drift. Upon touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes and the airplane flipped upside down with the tail lifting up first. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer. The FAA inspector also noted that the airfield wind sock had not been properly maintained and was not accurate. Wheel brake continuity was verified by the FAA inspector during postcrash inspection. The reported wind at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania, about 10 nautical miles to the southeast of the accident site, was from 200 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Roll over during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Awareness of condition
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Airport personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 13.5 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 11,500 as pilot in command; 259 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 27, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,292 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2013; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,101 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 2,141 hours total
- Operator: Three Point Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 71N Sunbury PA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 69N Slatington Airport PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,455 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from ABE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.