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Atlas / NTSB / NYC94LA091

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event NYC94LA091

1994-05-23 FRANKLIN, Virginia, United States Airport · 62VA None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N5234G

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 305A

Year of manufacture

1952 · 42 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19721115

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A696FE

Registrant of record

PORTER DAVID E

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE LOSS OF AIRPLANE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING AS A RESULT OF A TIRE FAILURE, AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH SOFT TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

On Monday, May 23, 1994, at 1230 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 305A, N5234G, registered to and piloted by George S. Parker, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Grasso Airpark, Franklin, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During the landing on the grass runway, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control after touchdown, and the airplane veered to the right and impacted soft terrain. The fuselage was twisted during this collision. The pilot stated: At touchdown [the] aircraft bounced slightly. [I] felt wobble on the right side....Aircraft settled and veered to right, consistent with blown tire. Mr. Edward L. Hall, an Air Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, examined the airplane. In his report, Mr. Hall stated: The [right] tire tube was found to have the valve stem sheared at the base attachment of the valve stem. The overall condition of the tire was good. THE APPROACH FOR LANDING ON THE GRASS AIRSTRIP WAS NORMAL. THE PILOT STATED: 'AT TOUCHDOWN...[I] FELT [A] WOBBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE....[THE] AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT, CONSISTENT WITH A BLOWN TIRE.' THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR IMPACTED SOFT TERRAIN AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE AROUND. AN FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE TUBE VALVE STEM SHEARED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1994_NYC94LA091.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.