19950205001039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 310L · Valparaiso, IN · February 5, 1995

Date: February 5, 1995 · 11:01 local
Place: Valparaiso, IN
Airport: Porter County Municipal
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N157JW
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI95FA082
Reported as: Cessna 310L
Reported engine: Continental IO470VO
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 700 total40 in this make and model

N157JWRegistration cancelled Oct 31, 2013 · Cessna 310LS/N 310L-0146 · Built 1967 Airframe modelCessna 310L Engine modelContinental IO-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Low time IFR pilot lost control IFR in heavy snow showers. Indicates spatial disorientation and spiral dive ensued. (-23) on February 5, 1995, at 1101 CST, a Cessna 310L, N157JW, registered to james m. wright, collided with the ground while in a descent, near Valparaiso, Indiana, while on a personal flight from pontiac, Michigan (pnt) enroute to chicago midway (mdw). IFR meteorological conditions prevailed in the crash area and an IFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, Mr. James m. wright, the registered owner and only occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated at pontiac, Michigan on February 5, 1995, at 1058 EST (0958 CST).

As the FAA filed it

LOW TIME IFR PILOT LOST CONTROL IFR IN HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS. INDICATES SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND SPIRAL DIVE ENSUED. (-23) ON FEBRUARY 5, 1995, AT 1101 CST, A CESSNA 310L, N157JW, REGISTERED TO JAMES M. WRIGHT, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE IN A DESCENT, NEAR VALPARAISO, INDIANA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM PONTIAC, MICHIGAN (PNT) ENROUTE TO CHICAGO MIDWAY (MDW). IFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE CRASH AREA AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT, MR. JAMES M. WRIGHT, THE REGISTERED OWNER AND ONLY OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PONTIAC, MICHIGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 1995, AT 1058 EST (0958 CST).

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI95FA082Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportValparaiso, INspatial disorientation of the pilot while descending into the clouds. Factors were the moderate turbulance and snow.Feb 5, 1995 · Destroyed