Cessna 305 N5309G accident near Painted Post, New York

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted landing, which resulted in runway excursion and collision with a ditch.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was concluding a short, uneventful flight from a nearby airport. The sun was setting directly in his line of sight while on final approach to land, with a 60-degree flap setting. The pilot described that he misjudged the landing flare and that the airplane bounced on landing. The pilot attempted to abort the landing; however, the airplane was unable to climb. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right and then to the left, eventually departing the runway surface and coming to rest inverted in a ditch. During the runway excursion, the airplane’s fuselage, wings, and engine mounts were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA268 for the full record.