Cessna 310R N5CX

Summary

On 28 November 1995 at about 10:45 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N5CX was involved in an accident near Michigan City, Indiana, 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.

Date

28 November 1995 at 10:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Michigan City, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Michigan City (MGC)

Coordinates

41.7090, -86.8693

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N5CX

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Holland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI96LA047

Nobody was injured.

the pilot-in-command's selecting and maintaining an improper approach speed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS PICKING UP OCCASIONAL LIGHT RIME ICE IN THE CLOUDS WHILE IN IMC CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4,000 FEET. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ANTI-ICE AND DEICING SYSTEMS. DURING DESCENT, THE PILOT REPORTED VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEAN OF ICE. THE PILOT PLANNED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. ANTICIPATING THAT THE RUNWAY MAY BE SLICK, A SHORT FIELD APPROACH AND LANDING WAS EXECUTED. ON FINAL APPROACH, AND AT 85 KNOTS, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED 'A SUDDEN LOSS OF LIFT.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED RECEIVING NO VISUAL OR AURAL INDICATIONS OF AN IMPENDING STALL. THE CESSNA 310R PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK REFERENCES THE MINIMUM MULTI-ENGINE APPROACH SPEED FOR THE AIRPLANE TO BE 93 KIAS AT A GROSS WEIGHT OF 5,400 POUNDS. THIS SPEED DECREASES BY APPROXIMATELY FOUR KNOTS FOR EACH 400 POUND REDUCTION IN AIRPLANE GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRPLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,218 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.