Cessna 305A accident near Bartow, Florida, March 2, 2005
On March 2, 2005 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N54550, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bartow, Florida (Bartow Municipal 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
The pilots failure to maintain directional control resulting in the airplane ground-looping. A factor in the accident was the pilots lack of total experience in the airplane make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2005 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bartow, Florida · Bartow Municipal Airport · map
- 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
- N54550 · registry record · serial JV5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated this was his first flight in this specific airplane and after a orientation flight, they returned to the Bartow Municipal Airport to land. Upon making a three point landing, the airplane seemed normal, but it then began to swerve to the left. The pilot corrected with rudder, but passed through the center line of the runway. The airplane then began to bounce traveling perpendicular to the centerline. The right main wheel separated from the spring shank and at this point it dug into the runway spinning aircraft to the right. The plane settled down on its belly, right wing low. The pilot-rated passenger stated that the preflight, takeoff, taxi, flight, and landing approach were all normal, until touchdown, when the airplane ground-looped. During the landing roll an uncontrolled turn to the left commenced, then it tightened up, damaging the landing gear and causing the wing tip to drag, followed by the propeller striking the runway. The aircraft came to rest after spinning 270-degrees, and stopped at the edge of the runway. The pilots stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,702 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,702 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 10, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,242 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,448 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2005; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,614 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOW Bartow FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: BOW Bartow FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 118°F (48°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from BOW, 1 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 N54550 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.