Cessna 310Q N8135Q

Summary

On 23 July 1998 at about 12:01 local time, a Cessna 310Q registered N8135Q was involved in an accident near Port Orange, Florida, 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

23 July 1998 at 12:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Orange, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Spruce Creek (44J)

Coordinates

29.1091, -80.9696

Aircraft

Cessna 310Q

Registration

N8135Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Frederick

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98FA205

2 people died.

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and his continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in in-flight collision with trees. A related factor was the fog.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot received weather briefings the day before and 1 1/2 hours before departure. The flight departed under visual flight rules with fog at the departure end of the runway lower than at the approach end of the runway as indicated by a pilot-rated witness. After takeoff the airplane immediately entered the fog in a wings level gear down configuration. The pilot contacted air traffic control to obtain his instrument flight rules clearance; communications lasted a total of about 25 seconds, but the right wing collided with a tree about 29 feet above ground level. The tree was located about 1 nautical mile from the departure end of the runway. The airplane then collided with a power line and the ground. Sound analysis indicated that each propeller rpm was about near full rated rpm, respectively, during the three separate times of communications. Examination of the engines, propellers, flight control systems, and vacuum system and instruments revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.