- Date
- May 8, 1998, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, GA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N310DRCessna 310Q
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980508021359A
- Case key
- 3993
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare during landing. Factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane and the crosswind condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he had flown several approaches to runway 2 and floated during the flares. On this landing, he did not extend the flaps, and flew the landing approach about five knots slower. Just before touchdown, with a good descent rate, he rotated with no change in the airplane's performance. The airplane landed hard, and the left main tire ruptured. The airplane veered off the runway, then veered further left, eventually colliding with a ditch. The airline transport rated pilot passenger stated to the pilot that it felt as if the airplane sank abruptly, and may have encountered a wind shift. The pilot also stated that this aircraft was a later model than he had previously flown, so he had only one hour total flight time in it. He believes, in retrospect, he should have received flight instruction before attempting to fly the airplane. The wind was from 290 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 8, 1998, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, N310DR, landed hard at the Barwick La Fayette Airport, La Fayette, Georgia. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The commercial pilot, a pilot rated passenger, and a second passenger were not injured. There was substantial damage to the airplane. The flight originated in Chattanooga, Tennessee, about 30 minutes prior to the accident.
According to the pilot, he had flown several approaches to runway 02 and floated during the flares. On this landing, he did not extend the flaps, and flew the landing approach about five knots slower. Just before touchdown, with a good descent rate, he rotated with no change in the airplane's performance. The airplane landed hard, and the left main tire ruptured. The airplane veered off the runway, then veered further left, eventually colliding with a ditch. The airline transport rated pilot passenger stated to the pilot that it felt as if the airplane sank abruptly, and may have encountered a wind shift. The pilot also stated that this aircraft was a later model than he had previously flown, so he had only one hour total flight time in it. He believes, in retrospect, he should have received flight instruction before attempting to fly the airplane.
The wind was from 290 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N310DR
- Reported as
- Cessna 310Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 00104
- Airframe hours
- 4,497
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-E2B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ronald Westbrook
- Registered owner
- David H. Riggs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 1997 · 116 hours before
- Departed
- CHA · Chattanooga, TN
- Airport
- 9A5 · Barwick Lafayette, runway 2, 4,250 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,380 total · 25 in this make and model · 1,210 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHA, 20 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.