Cessna 310R N5074J

Summary

On 28 October 1992 at about 01:05 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N5074J, operated by Pacific Island Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Saipan, Mauritius. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 October 1992 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Saipan, Mauritius

Nearest airport

Saipan International (GSN)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N5074J

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Pacific Island Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Rota

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA019

3 people died.

THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING WAKE TURBULENCE (VOTEX) AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE DETAILED IN FAA PUBLICATIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE, AND 2) INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY FROM THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND INTERVIEWED WITNESSES AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10 AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 7 ABOUT ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF. THEY SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF FROM AN INTERSECTION ON RUNWAY 7, ABOUT 2,700 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE DC-10 WAS LIFTING OFF THE GROUND. THEY FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND; BANKED ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT; CORRECTED TO ABOUT A 30 DEGREE RIGHT BANK; AND THEN 'SNAPPED' 120 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE WITNESSES STATED THEY BELIEVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE DEPARTING DC-10.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.