Cessna 305A accident near Morganton, North Carolina, December 27, 2000
On December 27, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N143F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morganton, North Carolina (Morganton-Lenoir 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 failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft control about the aircraft's lateral axis during landing rollout, and the resultant nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Morganton, North Carolina · Morganton-Lenoir · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N143F · registry record · serial 23488
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, following five uneventful full stop landings on Morganton-Lenoir, (NC) Airport's, runway 03, the sixth attempt resulted in a nose over. Observed winds at the time of the accident were reported as calm. The brake system had undergone a brake line repair and the right side tire appeared newer that the left. Brake linings appeared about half worn on both sides, but were fully functional. According to the FAA inspector, there was no evidence of a dragging left brake.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 412 hours in all; 62 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 17, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 2000; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-15 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC27 Lenoir NC at 8:45 pm
- Destination: MRN Morganton NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from MRN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.