Cessna 305A accident near Blairstown, New Jersey, January 28, 1989
On January 28, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N5300G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blairstown, New Jersey (Blairstown airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DELAYS BY BOTH PILOTS IN RELEASING THE GLIDER TOW LINE AFTER THE GLIDER PILOT ALLOWED THE GLIDER TO MANEUVER EXCESSIVELY ABOVE THE TOW AIRCRAFT. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blairstown, New Jersey · Blairstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N5300G · registry record · serial 22521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA 305A, N5300G, WAS BEING USED TO TOW A GLIDER (SCHWEIZER SGS-1-26C, N8612R) FROM A 3102 FT GRASS RWY. THE GLIDER PLT ESTIMATED THE TOW LINE WAS LESS THAN 150 FT IN LENGTH. HE RPRTD THE SCHWEIZER WAS VERY SENSITIVE ON TOW & THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED TOWING SPEED WAS 50 TO 60 MPH, BUT THE TOW PLT PREFERRED A HIGHER TOW SPEED. ON SVRL PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, THE GLIDER PLT HAD REQUESTED A 'CONSERVATIVE' SPEED. RPRTDLY, THEY COMPROMISED ON A SLOW TOW TO 1000' AGL, THEN A SPEED OF 80 MPH TO THE RELEASE POINT. THE GLIDER PLT STATED THE WIND WAS GUSTY, BUT THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL TO ABOUT 150' AGL, THEN THE GLIDER ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. SLACK DEVELOPED IN THE TOW LINE & THE GLIDER PLT CORRECTED BY USING YAW. WITNESSES RPRTD THE GLIDER MOVED OUT OF PSN TO THE LEFT, THEN RIGHT, THEN BACK LEFT & HIGH, RAISING THE TAIL OF THE TOW PLANE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TOW PLANE ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED, THOUGH BOTH PLTS HAD RELEASED THE TOW LINE. THE GLIDER LNDD SAFELY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,766 hours in all; 1,217 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 4,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,102 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ABE, 28 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N5300G 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.