Cessna 305 A accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, April 30, 2004
On April 30, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 305 A, registered N2070E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts (Taunton Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots inadequate pre-flight planning which resulted in a landing on soft terrain and subsequent nose over. A factor was the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts · Taunton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305 A · all 305 As on the register
- Registration
- N2070E · no longer on the register · serial 22817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon touching down on a soft grass area adjacent to a runway, the landing gear sank into the ground and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that he did not check the condition of the grass area prior to landing.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,050 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,050 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2003; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O 470 11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1B9 Mansfield MA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: TAN Taunton MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from TAN
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.