Cessna 305A N5300G

Summary

On 28 January 1989 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 305A registered N5300G was involved in an accident near Blairstown, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 January 1989 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blairstown, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Blairstown (INT)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 305A

Registration

N5300G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC89FA074

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.