19960315004269A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 310R · Winder, GA · March 15, 1996

Date: March 15, 1996 · 14:45 local
Place: Winder, GA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N447T
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL96FA066
Reported as: Cessna 310R
Reported engine: Continental IO520M
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 180 total100 in this make and model

N447TRegistration cancelled May 28, 1998 · Cessna 310RS/N 310R0251 Airframe modelCessna 310R

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.

Aircraft suffered an in flight breakup. (.4)the pilot received a weather briefing before his last departure, and was advised that visual flight was not advised. During the briefing, the pilot stated that he was aware of the weather conditions since he had observed thunderstorm activity during his approach into the departure airport. After the briefing the pilot departed to his destination airport. A few minutes into the flight, two witnesses on the ground heard the sound of the airplane breaking-up inflight. They also observed debris from the airplane falling from the base of the cloud layer. They also stated the thunderstorm activity was present at the time of their observations. Wreckage debris was scattered over an area about 4700 feet long and 1400 feet wide. All major airframe components were recovered from the accident site. Examination of the wreckage failed to disclose a mechanical problem or a system malfunction.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT SUFFERED AN IN FLIGHT BREAKUP. (.4)THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE HIS LAST DEPARTURE, AND WAS ADVISED THAT VISUAL FLIGHT WAS NOT ADVISED. DURING THE BRIEFING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS SINCE HE HAD OBSERVED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DURING HIS APPROACH INTO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AFTER THE BRIEFING THE PILOT DEPARTED TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. A FEW MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, TWO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD THE SOUND OF THE AIRPLANE BREAKING-UP INFLIGHT. THEY ALSO OBSERVED DEBRIS FROM THE AIRPLANE FALLING FROM THE BASE OF THE CLOUD LAYER. THEY ALSO STATED THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THEIR OBSERVATIONS. WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA ABOUT 4700 FEET LONG AND 1400 FEET WIDE. ALL MAJOR AIRFRAME COMPONENTS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM OR A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.

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 ATL96FA066Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportWinder, GAThe pilot's failure to maintain visual flight conditions which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent inflight breakup of the airplane when he exceeded the design stress limits of the airframe.Mar 15, 1996 · Destroyed

Other reports on N447T · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19780824049349IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · San Antonio, TXPilot heard loud bang with gear retraction. Rod end broke on gear actuator for nose gear.Aug 24, 1978 · Minor damage