Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 310J CFSLE

13 May 1995 · Ararat, Pennsylvania, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 13 May 1995 at about 23:17 local time, a Cessna 310J registered CFSLE was involved in an accident near Ararat, Pennsylvania, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 23:17
Classification
Accident
Location
Ararat, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates
41.8609, -75.5096
Aircraft
Cessna 310J
Registration
CFSLE
Category
Airplane
Engines
2
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Business
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Newark → Toronto
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Dusk
NTSB number
NYC95LA108

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 0 0 0 3

Probable cause

THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ABOUT 30 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, AT 10,000 FT, THE TRANSPONDER WAS REPORTED INOPERATIVE BY ATC. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF COMM AND NAV EQUIPMENT. THE PILOT COULD NOT RESET EITHER GENERATOR, AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE READING LOW. HE STARTED A DESCENT WHILE STILL IN VMC CONDITIONS TO FIND AN AIRPORT. DURING THE DESCENT THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE READING LOWER. AT 4,000 FT THE MAIN FUEL GAUGES INDICATED EMPTY. THE PILOT'S HAND HELD GPS INDICATED AN AIRPORT WITHIN 6 MI, BUT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL EXHAUSTION AND DECIDED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE LANDING GEAR WAS CRANKED DOWN BY HAND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION REVEALED FUEL IN THE MAIN AND AUX FUEL TANKS. THE GENERATOR BELTS WERE TIGHT, AND THE WIRING WAS ATTACHED. CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RUNNING ON BATTERIES, 30 TO 40 MIN OF FLIGHT TIME AT NIGHT WOULD DISCHARGE THE BATTERIES AND CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. AFTER THE INITIAL DEPARTURE FROM NEWARK, THE PILOT HAD MADE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN AND LANDING TO REPLACE AN OIL CAP ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED ON THIS FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD 10 HRS IN THE CESSNA 310.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 310 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
22 Jun 1995 Cessna 310
N5302A
Henderson, Nevada, United States - No injuries -
29 Aug 1995 Cessna 310K
N6921L
Columbiana, Ohio, United States - Minor injuries -
13 Jul 1995 Cessna 310D
N6976T
Alamosa, Colorado, United States - Serious injuries -
21 Dec 1995 Cessna 310R
N1269G
Bellville, Ohio, United States - Fatal 3
25 Mar 1995 Cessna 310Q
N7705Q
Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, United States - Fatal 1
16 Aug 1995 Cessna 310R
N2640L
Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States Voyager Aviation Croup Fatal 2

All 1,745 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
6 Oct 1995 Enstrom 280C
N976BT
Quakertown, Pennsylvania, United States - Fatal 2
3 Dec 1995 Cessna 152
N67369
Rush Township, Pennsylvania, United States - Fatal 1
8 Oct 1995 Piper PA-28-140
N6360W
Bird-In-Hand, Pennsylvania, United States - Fatal 1
9 Oct 1995 Kelosky PULSAR XP
N95RK
Zelienople, Pennsylvania, United States - No injuries -
18 Jan 1995 Agusta A109C
N1WD
Jackson Twp, Pennsylvania, United States - Fatal 3
13 Oct 1995 Teague PITTS S-1S
N792
Erwinna, Pennsylvania, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States