- Date
- June 24, 1995, 19:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Crawfordsville, IN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3298XCessna 310L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950624014899A
- Case key
- 9926
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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed during final approach to landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's delayed action of aborting the landing.
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
The pilot took off with the intention of remaining in the airport traffic pattern to practice three takeoffs and landings. The pilot stated that he decided to practice a power off landing first. During the first landing the pilot had to add power to make it to the runway. During the second landing, the pilot stated he flew a tighter pattern. While on final approach, he had to realign the airplane with the runway. At this point, the airspeed dropped rapidly and he decided to perform a go around. The pilot stated the left wing impacted the runway, but he had to continue with the go around due to traffic. The pilot stated a third pattern was done using normal procedures and he landed the airplane with no further incident.
Factual narrative
On June 24, 1995, at 1940 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310L, N3298X, registered to the Engineering & Design Services, Inc., of West Layfayette, Indiana, was substantially damaged while landing at Crawfordsville Municipal Airport, Crawfordsville, Indiana. The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported the flight was to be a proficiency flight. His intention was to stay in the airport traffic pattern and practice three takeoffs and landings. For his first landing, the pilot stated he decided to practice a power off landing. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he pulled both throttles to the idle position. "First landing was firm but decent, only I had to bring power in momentary on the base to make the runway," the pilot stated. The second pattern, he stated, was done without any addition of power, but he had to "...close in on the runway in order to make the runway... ." While on final to land, the pilot stated that he had to realign the airplane with the runway. He stated that at this point the airspeed dropped quickly, and he realized a "bad" situation. The pilot decided to perform a go around. "Abort was to late and I contacted the ground and dragged the left wing - abort was continued due to ground traffic directly ahead," the pilot stated. The third pattern was done using normal procedures and he landed the airplane with no further incidents.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3298X
- Reported as
- Cessna 310L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310L-0148
- Airframe hours
- 3,242
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-V, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Engineering & Design Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 30, 1994 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- CFJ
- Airport
- CFJ · Crawfordsville Municipal, runway 22, 4,000 × 75 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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 50 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.