Cessna T310R N4XZ

Summary

On 31 October 1999 at about 02:10 local time, a Cessna T310R registered N4XZ was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 October 1999 at 02:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlantic Ocean

Nearest airport

Key West International (EYW)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna T310R

Registration

N4XZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Key West → Fort Lauderdale

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA00FA017

4 people died.

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in impact with rough water. A factor in this accident was a dark night, which resulted in no visual cues.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot made radio contact with Air Traffic Control, and was issued an IFR clearance. The controller at the center observed the airplane in a turn and losing altitude. The controller radioed the pilot and asked if he needed assistance. The pilot answered 'standby.' Radar and radio contact was lost. About 4 hours later, a United States Coast Guard aircraft found debris in the water. Radar data showed that the flight was about to intersect the assigned airway, and was at an altitude of 5,800 feet. The flight started drifting left of the airway and climbed from 5,800 feet to 7,400 feet, in 2 minutes and 01 second. The airplane turned about 180 degrees to the left, and then descended 1,500 feet to an altitude of 5,900 feet, in 47 seconds. The flight continued to descend from 5,900 feet to 1,700 feet and reached that altitude in 2 minutes and 36 seconds. The last radar return was at 2209:40 and no altitude was recorded. In addition, the transcript of radio communication indicated that the pilot was receiving his IFR clearance about the same time, and he read back the clearance incorrectly. Due to the ocean conditions and high winds the search for the airplane and victims took several weeks. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean until November 15, 16, 1999. Examination of the recovered wreckage did not reveal any discrepancies. The pilot's personal logbook listing his flight hours was not recovered. Based on his last application for insurance, dated April 20, 1999, it was estimated that the pilot had about 1,207 hours of total flight time in all aircraft, and 36 hours in this make and model airplane, at the time of the application. In addition, at the time of the application the pilot listed 48 hours of night flight time. The weather for Key West, Florida, about 10 miles south of the crash site at 2153 was; wind 040 at 9 knots; visibility 10 sm, lowest ceiling 15,000 broken; temperature 79 degrees F; dew point 73 degrees F; altimeter 30.08 in Hg. The reported condition of the ocean, according to the United States Coast Guard station, Key West, Florida, about the time of the accident was; ocean swells (6 to 8 feet), and the winds were from the northeast at 15 to 20 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.