Cessna 305 accident near Grundy, Virginia, May 4, 1999
On May 4, 1999 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 305, registered N5299G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grundy, Virginia (Grundy Muni 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1999 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grundy, Virginia · Grundy Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305 · all 305s on the register
- Registration
- N5299G · registry record · serial 22111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After flying for approximately 35 minutes, the pilot entered a left down wind for his intended destination. While on downwind and abeam the numbers, the pilot retarded the throttle and configured the airplane with 10 degrees of flaps. He then turned final approximately 500 feet agl, and 1/2 mile from the runway. On final, the pilot reconfigured the airplane with 30 degrees of flaps and slowed to 70 mph. The airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, and the pilot initiated a flare. At that point, 'everything was normal,' and the airplane touched down smoothly, tail wheel first. The nose of the airplane then started to drift to the right. The pilot added 'hard left rudder,' and the nose of the airplane transitioned from the right side of center line to the left side of center line. As the airplane approached the left side of the runway, the pilot elected to abort the landing. He advanced the throttle, the engine responded, and the airplane yawed further left while becoming airborne. The airplane continued to drift left, until it impacted trees, coming to rest upright.
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: 160 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VJI Abingdon VA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: GDY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.