Cessna 310H N1039Q

Summary

On 31 October 1996 at about 16:05 local time, a Cessna 310H registered N1039Q, operated by Martin J. Stuart, was involved in an accident near Show Low, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 October 1996 at 16:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Show Low, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Show Low Muni (SOW)

Coordinates

34.2296, -110.0699

Aircraft

Cessna 310H

Registration

N1039Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Martin J. Stuart

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Show Low → Chandler

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97LA029

Nobody was injured.

water/ice contamination in the fuel system and/or fuel filters due to failure of the maintenance facility that performed the annual inspection to identify and replace four cracked and deteriorated fuel filler cap O-rings. A factor in this accident was the pilot's failure to identify, and recognize the contamination hazard with, the cracked and deteriorated fuel filler cap O-rings during the preflight of the aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft had been parked on the ramp for 7 days prior to the accident flight because of poor weather, which included snow, rain, and below freezing temperatures. The fuel tanks were partially filled with fuel. The pilot reported that no moisture was observed during the preflight of the aircraft, and that the engine run-up was normal. After departure and landing gear retraction, the right engine lost power. The pilot then pushed all engine power controls forward, and verified that the engine fuel boost pumps were on and the landing gear retracted prior to making an off-airport forced landing. According to the pilot's written statement, the engine failure occurred after lift-off and prior to obtaining Vyse. Subsequent examination of the four fuel filler cap O-rings revealed signs of deterioration and cracking, which was sufficient to allow water to enter the fuel tanks. The outside air temperature was below freezing the night prior to and the morning of the accident. The aircraft had completed an annual inspection 3 months and 15 hours prior to the accident flight. The right engine was examined following aircraft recovery with no discrepancies noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.