Cessna 310I N145Y

Summary

On 9 November 1989 at about 20:47 local time, a Cessna 310I registered N145Y, operated by Trojan, Robert W., was involved in an accident near Provo, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 1989 at 20:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Provo, Utah, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 310I

Registration

N145Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Trojan, Robert W.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salt Lake City → Provo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN90FA021

2 people died.

THE CESSNA PILOT MISJUDGE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWING HIS ATTENTION TO BE DIVERTED AND HIS LACK OF VISUAL/DEPTH PERCEPTION OVER THE CALM (GLASSY) WATER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLTS OF CESSNA 310, N145Y, AND BEECH J35 (BONANZA), N4258B, PREPLANNED A FLT FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A VIDEO WHILE FLYING AS A FLT OF 2 ACFT. DRG FLT, THE BONANZA PLT ASSUMED A LEAD POSITION WITH THE CESSNA IN A LOOSE ECHELON FORMATION. THEY PROCEEDED OVER UTAH LAKE AT LOW ALT. THE WIND WAS LIGHT & THE WATER IN THE LAKE WAS CALM. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE FLYING AT LOW ALT OVER THE LAKE, THE CESSNA HIT THE WATER. THE VIDEO FILM SHOWED THAT JUST PRIOR TO WATER IMPACT, THE BONANZA WAS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CESSNA & SLIGHTLY HIGHER. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE CESSNA SANK IN 12 FT OF WATER. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE CESSNA SUFFERED BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH IMPACT; HOWEVER, THE MED EXAMINER RPRTD THEIR DEATHS WERE DUE TO DROWNING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.