Cessna 305-A accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, February 14, 2008
On February 14, 2008 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 305-A, registered N473GF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mokuleia, Hawaii (Dillingham Airfield). It was a glider-towing 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 failure of the left main landing gear strut due to fatigue. Contributing to the failure was the side load placed on the landing gear while making a crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2008 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mokuleia, Hawaii · Dillingham Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305-A · all 305-As on the register
- Registration
- N473GF · registry record · serial 2018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot observed that the windsocks located at each end of runway indicated tailwinds of about 10 knots in either direction. The midfield sock indicated a direct crosswind from the north. The pilot elected to approach the east runway, and touched down abeam the midfield windsock. Upon touchdown the airplane encountered a left-to-right crosswind, and as the airplane decelerated, the pilot noticed the wind shift to a quartering right tailwind. He elected to abort the landing. As he advanced the throttle the engine sputtered, the left main gear collapsed, and the airplane ground looped as it approached the runway's edge. Examination of the left main landing gear spring strut revealed that the strut separated where the wheel bolts to the strut. The fracture face of the strut was granular in texture and uniform matte gray in color. The fracture surface for the section of landing gear strut that remained attached to the wheel was closely examined, and it was noted that the fracture surface had an approximate 1/16 inch flat dark triangular section at the corner of the mounting bolt hole. The Safety Board Materials Laboratory examination confirmed the presence of a 0.072 inch fatigue crack at this location that would be sufficient to cause a failure of the strut.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHDH Mokuleia HI at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PHHI, 12 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.