Cessna 305A accident near Hemet, California, July 29, 1995
On July 29, 1995, a Cessna 305A, registered N65067, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hemet, California (Hemet-Ryan airport). It was a public-use 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
the pilot's decision to execute a wheel landing under crosswind conditions and his failure to adequately compensate for the winds, which led to a loss of directional control and a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1995
- Place
- Hemet, California · Hemet-Ryan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N65067 · no longer on the register · serial 2033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 23, THE PILOT OBSERVED A CROSSWIND FROM THE RIGHT. HE SAID HE HAD LOWERED 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND MADE A WHEEL LANDING. DURING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SWERVED AND RAN OFF THE RUNWAY. HE ADDED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, BUT AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED THE PAVEMENT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. HE HAD RECEIVED A 2-HOUR CHECK RIDE CONDUCTED BY AN FBO IN A SCHOOL-OWNED CESSNA 305A/L-19, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND CHECK RIDE IN THE COUNTY-OWNED AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT DID NOT KNOW THE DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT RECALL PERFORMING CROSSWIND LANDINGS DURING HIS CHECKOUT. HE SAID CROSSWIND TECHNIQUES WERE DISCUSSED AND THAT WHEEL LANDINGS UNDER CROSSWIND CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE. HE STATED THAT HE HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED HOURS OF CONVENTIONAL GEAR EXPERIENCE; FELT HIS TRAINING WAS ADEQUATE; AND THAT HE FELT CONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM HIS FLYING DUTIES. SURFACE WINDS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS FROM THE NORTH AT 10 KNOTS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1995; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sherrifs Aviation Unit
The flight
- Departed from: HMT CA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,314 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RIV, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N65067 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.