Cessna 305 accident near Alabaster, Alabama, December 10, 2022
On December 10, 2022 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1952 Cessna 305, registered N5301G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Alabaster, Alabama (Shelby County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the tailwheel locking mechanism, which resulted in a loss of control during landing and a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2022 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alabaster, Alabama · Shelby County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305 A, built 1952 · all 305s on the register
- Registration
- N5301G · registry record · serial 22808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the vintage tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing on the runway centerline, aligned with the runway, in light wind. Upon touchdown, the airplane swerved left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder and brake application; however, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and ground looped, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. The pilot examined the tailwheel after the accident and noted that its locking mechanism had failed. Specifically, he believed that the spindle or brass thrust ring had failed internally.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 18, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 2022; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 1,202 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AL60 Ashville AL at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from EET
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEET 102153Z AUTO 22003KT 10SM SCT035 BKN075 20/15 A3012
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5301G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA088.