Cessna 305A N342FS accident near Camarillo, California

Probable cause

A tailwheel vibration upon touchdown and the subsequent loss of directional control for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, following an uneventful flight, the three-point landing was normal in minimal wind. Immediately upon touchdown, the pilot felt an extreme tailwheel vibration, and the airplane abruptly made a sharp left turn. The airplane then veered off the runway, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Postaccident examination revealed that the right rudder control cables, which extend from the rudder pedals at both the front and rear seats to the rudder control horn, had separated from the rudder pedals. No evidence of preexisting defects, such as corrosion or fatigue, was found; the rudder cables likely fractured due to overstress during the accident sequence and did not cause the loss of directional control. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the tailwheel vibration on touchdown and the subsequent loss of control could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13LA112 for the full record.