Cessna 305 accident near Cortland, New York, September 14, 2023
On September 14, 2023 at about 7:05 pm local time, a 1951 Cessna 305, registered N5269G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cortland, New York (Cortland County-Chase Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a gusting crosswind, which resulted in a noseover. Contributing was the pilot’s lack of familiarity with the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2023 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Cortland, New York · Cortland County-Chase Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305 A, built 1951 · all 305s on the register
- Registration
- N5269G · registry record · serial 21471
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The multi-segment cross-country flight was the pilot’s first time flying the tailwheel-equipped airplane. Arriving at the destination airport, the pilot noted quartering gusts when he cleared a tree line to land on the asphalt runway. Following touchdown, the airplane pulled to the right and he applied left brake to correct; however, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, empennage, and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the brakes revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind at the nearest weather reporting facility, about 13 miles southwest of the accident airport, was a quartering right crosswind at 12 knots, gusting to 19 knots at the time of the accident.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,050 hours in all; 5.8 in this make and model; 360 in the last 90 days; 4,846 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RUT Rutland VT at 4:06 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,401 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from ITH, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KITH 141856Z 29012G19KT 10SM BKN040 16/08 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP216 T01610083
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 9, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Brake Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.