# NTSB ATL83FA128: Cessna 310, N923CA, Hopkinsville, KY, March 6, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 5, 1983, 22:52 local (Mar 6, 1983, 04:52 UTC)
- Place: Hopkinsville, KY
- Coordinates: 36.849758, -87.489173 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8498&lon=-87.4892&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 5895
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL83FA128
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/5895/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL83FA128

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - thunderstorm (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - aircraft handling - not possible, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & FILED A FLT PLAN FROM LEXINGTON TO PADUCAH,KY WITH A 15 MIN EN ROUTE STOP AT BOWLING GREEN, KY. WHILE INBOUND TO BOWLING GREEN, HE REPORTED THAT THE CLOUD BASE WAS AT APRX 6000 FT & THAT THERE WAS LIGHTNING TO THE WEST. AFTER A QUICK STOP AT BOWLING GREEN, THE PLT DEPARTED WITH AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR PADUCAH. AT 2231 CST, MEMPHIS CENTER ADVISED THE PLT OF A WX SYS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PENETRATED IF HE CONTINUED TO PADUCAH. THE PLT AFFIRMED THE TRANSMISSION. THAT WAS THE LAST RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE ACFT. AT 2252 CST, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST & THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 17 MI NORTHEAST OF HOPKINSVILLE, KY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSEDOWN DESCENT & WAS DEMOLISHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MATERIAL OR SYS FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A SIGMET HAD BEEN ISSUED TO WARN OF AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH A FEW EMBEDDED CELLS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N923CA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N923CA-2015-05-07), registration cancelled 2015-05-07, S/N 310R0094 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 310
- Registry model: [Cessna 310R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r) (registry code 2074245) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 310R0094
- Airframe hours: 1914
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-M 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Starnes Leasinng Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 20, 1982, 50 hours before
- Departed: BWG, BOWLING GREEN, KY
- Destination: PAH, PADUCAH, KY
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,000 total, 549 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 180° at 16 knots, gusting 36
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: HOP, 13 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830305009079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830305009079A), Mar 5, 1983: Cessna 310R, Hopkinsville, KY, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Near vertical impact into trees. Aircraft was penetrating a line of thunderstorms. Sigmets out for severe weather.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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