- Date
- October 1, 2010, 10:16 local (14:16 UTC)
- Place
- St. Johns, MI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N3051LCessna 310J
- Defining event
- Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101001046559A
- Case key
- 77488
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 failure by the pilot to attain/maintain a climb rate for undetermined reasons during a go-around.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the flight was normal and he maneuvered the multi-engine airplane onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern. The airplane yawed slightly to the right and the pilot attempted a go-around at about 100 feet above ground level. He noted that there was a lack of engine power from the right engine. The pilot arrested the descent with power from the left engine, but the airplane impacted terrain adjacent to the runway. A postaccident examination of the right engine was limited to verifying engine compression, which was confirmed to be normal.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the flight was normal until the airplane was established on final approach to runway 27 (2,509 feet by 50 feet, turf) at which point the airplane yawed slightly to the right. The pilot attempted a go-around about 100 feet above ground level, but there was a lack of engine power from the right engine. The pilot arrested the descent with power from the left engine, but the airplane impacted terrain at midfield and to the right of runway 27. The airplane sustained substantial damage, which included wing spar damage and a bent fuselage aft of the cabin. Inspection of the right engine by the Federal Aviation Administration was limited to engine compression, which was confirmed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3051L
- Reported as
- Cessna 310J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310J0051
- Airframe hours
- 8,419
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-U, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 19, 2010
- Departed
- JYM · Hillsdale, MI
- Destination
- 39T · St. Johns, MI
- Airport
- 39T · Tripp Creek Airport, runway 27, 2,509 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 37
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 23, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 999 total · 19 in this make and model · 943 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- ALM, 16 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 486 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.