Cessna 310R N3161M

Summary

On 15 May 2004 at about 09:23 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N3161M was involved in an accident near Willoughby, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 May 2004 at 09:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Willoughby, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Lost Nation (LNN)

Coordinates

41.6436, -81.4147

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N3161M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willoughby → Dayton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC04FA123

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the initial climb after takeoff. Factors in this accident were clouds and the night conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed from runway 23 in night instrument metrological conditions, for an instrument flight rules flight. At 0521:21, the pilot radioed to air traffic control that he was climbing through 900 feet, for 4,000 feet. At 0521:44, radar data indicated the airplane was at 1,000 feet, heading 232 degrees, and at a ground speed of 145 knots. During the next 45 seconds, the airplane turned about 15 degrees, climbed to an altitude of at least 1,900 feet, and had slowed to a ground speed of 121 knots, before radar contact was lost. Several witnesses reported hearing the sound of a "low" "loud" airplane, followed by an explosion. One witness observed the airplane about tree top level as it descended toward the ground. He noticed a bluish-green, red light illuminated and stated that he did not observe any smoke or fire coming from the airplane. The airplane impacted railroad tracks that were located about 2 1/2 miles southwest of the departure airport. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. During the 6 months prior to the accident, the pilot had accumulated about 460 hours of total flight experience, which included about 225 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. In addition, during that time, the pilot had logged about 25 hours of flight time under "actual" instrument meteorological conditions. A weather observation taken at an airport located about 16 miles south-southwest of the accident site reported: winds from 270 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 2 1/2 statue miles in rain and mist, ceiling 700 feet broken, temperature 61 degrees F, dew point 57 degrees F, altimeter 30.09 in/hg. A witness near the accident site described the weather as dark and hazy, with a "misty rain."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.