Cessna 305A (L-19) accident near Aspen, Colorado, August 9, 1997
On August 9, 1997 at about 2:48 pm local time, a Cessna 305A (L-19), registered N542EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Aspen 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 to maintain direction control of the aircraft during landing roll, which resulted in a ground swerve and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. A related factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1997 · about 2:48 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Aspen · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A (L-19) 305A (L-19 · all 305A (L-19)s on the register
- Registration
- N542EZ · registry record · serial 22169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a touch-and-go landing roll, the aircraft veered to the right. The pilot said he applied left rudder, then the aircraft to veer to the left. He then applied right rudder and brake, which had little effect on directional control. Subsequently, the aircraft slide sideways, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Wind at the time was from 360 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot reported he had 1 hour of experience in the aircraft.
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
- Flight time: 346 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1997; 183 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,252 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 7,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from ASE, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N542EZ 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.