Cessna 310R N2640L

Summary

On 16 August 1995 at about 05:48 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N2640L, operated by Voyager Aviation Croup, was involved in an accident near Altoona, Pennsylvania, 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

16 August 1995 at 05:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Altoona (AOO)

Coordinates

40.3095, -78.3195

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N2640L

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Voyager Aviation Croup

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlisle → Detroit

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC95FA195

2 people died.

propagation of corrosion cracks in the right engine overboard exhaust stack and fatigue failure of the exhaust stack, which resulted in escape of hot/high velocity gases, in-flight fire, emergency descent, and subsequent collision with trees during an approach for a forced landing. Darkness and mountainous/hilly terrain were related factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While flying at night, about 10,000 feet msl, the flight reported an engine problem, declared an emergency, and requested vectors to the nearest airport for landing. When queried, the pilot stated, '...we got a fire in the right engine.' While diverting, the pilot was unable to maintain altitude (level flight) until the airplane descended to about 1700 feet. The tops of ridges in the area were about 2500 to 2800 feet. Subsequently, about 15 miles from the alternate airport, the airplane hit trees during darkness at an elevation of about 1720 feet and crashed. Examination of the right engine revealed that the last 8 to 12 inches of the right overboard tube had separated circumferentially from the exhaust system. A metallurgical examination of the exhaust stack revealed evidence of fatigue; there were numerous hot gas corrosion cracks that had originated at the interior surface and had propagated through the wall thickness of the stack. There was evidence that a breach of the right exhaust stack allowed hot, high velocity gases to escape and initiate a fire. The Altoon weather was in part: 8,000' scattered, 3 miles visibility with fog and haze.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.