# NTSB CHI98FA356: Cessna 310R, N5056J, Seymour Twp., WI, September 1, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: August 31, 1998, 19:46 local (Sep 1, 1998, 00:46 UTC) - Place: Seymour Twp., WI - Coordinates: 44.820892, -91.490867 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8209&lon=-91.4909&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report October 15, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43834 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI98FA356 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43834/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA356 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) the pilots of both airplanes not maintaining visual separation from the other airplane. ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) the pilots of both airplanes not maintaining visual separation from the other airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, climb - to cruise - visual separation - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - visual separation - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground - Midair collision, cruise - visual separation - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - visual separation - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis (aircraft 2) Witnesses reported seeing the twin-engine airplane (Cessna 310) climbing on a north-northeast heading. The airplane was operating on an IFR flight plan. The pilot of that airplane contacted air traffic control as it climbed through 2,500 feet above mean sea level. The controller said he had acknowledged the pilot's transmission and then heard an ELT signal. A witness reported seeing a single engine airplane (Cessna 185) flying in a westerly direction. He said the airplanes collided and were '...engulfed in flames...' as they descended toward the ground. Both airplanes impacted the ground at a 90 degree angle about 3/8 mile apart. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the Cessna 185 left wing tip section had collided with Cessna 310 left wing tip fuel tank. The Cessna 185 left wing tip section crushing matched the shape of the wing tip fuel tank. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) Witnesses reported seeing the twin-engine airplane (Cessna 310) climbing on a north-northeast heading. The airplane was operating on an IFR flight plan. The pilot of that airplane contacted air traffic control as it climbed through 2,500 feet above mean sea level. The controller said he had acknowledged the pilot's transmission and then heard an ELT signal. A witness reported seeing a single engine airplane (Cessna 185) flying in a westerly direction. He said the airplanes collided and were '...engulfed in flames...' as they descended toward the ground. Both airplanes impacted the ground at a 90 degree angle about 3/8 mile apart. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the Cessna 185 left wing tip section had collided with Cessna 310 left wing tip fuel tank. The Cessna 185 left wing tip section crushing matched the shape of the wing tip fuel tank. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 2) See narrative from CHI-98-F-A356A ## Factual narrative (aircraft 1) HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 31, 1998, at 1946 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 310R, N5056J, piloted by a commercial pilot, and operated as Night Chase Cargo Flight 303 under 14 CFR Part 135, collided with a Cessna 185B, N100TS, which was piloted by a private pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. N5056J's pilot had just activated an IFR flight plan and was climbing to its assigned altitude of 4,000 above mean sea level (msl). N100TS was a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Witnesses reported that N100TS was in level cruise flight. Both pilots were fatally injured. There were no other occupants in the airplanes. N5056J had departed Eau Claire, Wisconsin, exact time unknown. N100TS had departed a restricted landing area near Wissota, Wisconsin, 1935 cdt. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Minneapolis, Minnesota, Air Route Traffic Control Center controller handling N5056J, the "...pilot of [N5056J] checked in on frequency climbing out of 2,500 feet. I acknowledged the check on and I was requesting a report level at 5,000 feet... [when] an ELT signal sounded in the overhead speaker. No further communications were received from [N5056J]." A witness reported seeing N5056J climbing while flying in a north-northeast direction. He said he saw N100TS flying on a westerly heading. He said the airplanes collided and both "...aircraft [were] engulfed in flames on the way to [the] ground. No glide, both aircraft fell straight down to [the] ground." A second witness confirmed the first witnesses' statement. A third witness wrote, "[I] think [the] 185 was circling- maybe taking pictures around 7:30. Heard a 'pop'... saw [the airplanes] after [they] hit." A fourth witness said he heard a loud pop and "...observed [the] left engine of [a] white 2-engine plane on fire." He said this airplane's "...left wing [went] vertical and [it] rolled over to [the] right and spun over the hill." PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to the employer of N5056J's pilot, the pilot was hired on August 3, 1998. Company records showed N5056J's pilot had completed his Cessna 310 pilot-in-command 14 CFR Part 135 flight training on August 14, 1998. The pilot received a 14 CFR Part 135 instrument flight rules check ride on August 17, 1998. The company's monthly flight/duty time records showed N5056J's pilot had not flown for the company since August 28, 1998. Copies of these records are appended to this report. As of August 28, 1998, N5056J's pilot had a total time of 1,959.5 hours and 1,893.6 hours of pilot-in-command flight time according to his logbook. The pilot's FAA first class medical was issued on September 26, 1997, with no restrictions. According to the logbook belonging to N100TS's pilot, he had a total time of 182.9 hours of which 70.0 hours were pilot-in-command flight time. He had completed a flight review according to 14 CFR Part 61.56 on August 11, 1997. His logbook showed he began flying N100TS on June 20, 1994, when he had a total time of 100.5 hours. The pilot's FAA third class medical was issued on April 29, 1998, with no restrictions. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N5056J was a 1975 Cessna 310R, serial number 310R-0176, operated by Heartland Aviation, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, under 14 CFR Part 135. N5056J had 8,094.4 hours total time on its airframe at the time of the accident. N5056J received a 100 hour inspection on August 19, 1998, when it had 8,059 hours on its airframe. Maintenance records showed N5056J had 7,961.7 hours on its airframe when it received its annual inspection on July 7, 1998. N100TS was a 1963 Cessna 185B, serial number 1850639 that was operated as a personal airplane by the accident pilot. N100TS had 5,236.0 hours on its airframe at the time of the accident. Maintenance records showed N100TS received its annual inspection on August 8, 1997. At that time N100TS had 5,196.1 hours on its airframe. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage site was about 3 miles east, southeast of the Eau Claire County Airport, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. N5056J's main wreckage was located about 1/2 mile east of 50th Avenue and about 3/4 mile north of Burnell Drive in Seymour township, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. N100TS's wreckage was located about 150 yards west of 50th Avenue and 1/2 mile north of Burnell Drive in Seymour Township, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. A map showing the wreckage sites is appended to this report. Various sized pieces of N5056J's airframe were randomly scattered between both airplanes main wreckage sites. N5056J impacted the ground at an approximate 90 degree angle on a heading of 275 degrees. The empennage had separated from the fuselage and was found upside down in front of the wing's leading edge. The majority of the wing and fuselage had been destroyed by fire and collision forces. The fire damaged right wings' outboard section equal to the aileron's span had its leading edge crushed aft to the main spar. Both engines were buried to their rear cylinders. N5056J's belly center-section had cut marks that varied in length and direction. The fire damaged left wings' outboard section from about mid span on the aileron to the wingtip tank was found about 300 yards southwest of N5056J's main wreckage site. Aileron control cable continuity was established for N5056J. The aileron interconnect cable was found broken on the left side of the center bell crank. The ends of the separated cables were broomed and the individual strands of the separated cable were necked when viewed under 10 power magnification. Rudder control cable continuity was established between the rudder and cockpit area. Elevator control cable continuity was established between the elevator and cockpit area. The cables had been separated from the elevator bell crank due to fire destruction of the bell crank. The right engine propeller blades were recovered unattached from the engine. The left engine propeller blades were not found except for one blade section that was about 20 inches long. The surface of that blade had chord wise scoring and scratching and white paint transfer marks on its leading edge and surfaces. The left engine's crankshaft flange propeller holes exhibited elongated holes. The elongated damage was positioned opposite the direction of engine's rotation. The axis of the elongated holes was about 10-30 degrees to the flange's rotational arc. N100TS impacted the ground at a 90 degree angle on a 340 degree heading. Its left wing was found in a wooded area about 1/2 mile east of the main wreckage. The wing separated at its root. The outboard bay between the tip rib and first rib inboard had separated from the wing. The wing's spars and surface metal edges were bent aft about 60 degrees from the wing's centerline. The separated section had an oval shaped crush area that started at its leading edge and went aft to the main spar. This crush area matched N5056J's left wingtip fuel tank bulkhead shape. N100TS's fuselage was crushed aft to the vertical stabilizer's leading edge. The empennage was laying inverted over the wreckage. The vertical stabilizer's leading edge and tip were crushed aft to the rudder hinge line. The right wing was crushed aft and wrinkled along its span. The engine was buried about 3 feet into the ground. N100TS's left main landing gear tire had a cut through it from the wheel hub to the tread area. The left main landing gear wheel rim was separated from the main structure. The interior of the wheel, in line with the missing rim section was crushed inward toward the axle. Small pieces of white paint were found on the wheel rim fracture surface. Both propeller blades had chord wise scratching and scoring. One blade had about 3 inches missing from its tip. This piece was not recovered. A 1 inch deep "vee" shaped gouge was in this blade ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N5056J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5056J-2000-03-31), registration cancelled 2000-03-31, S/N 310R0176 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 310R - Registry model: [Cessna 310R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310r) (registry code 2074245) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 310R-0176 - Airframe hours: 8094 - Engines: Continental IO-520-MB1B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Heartland Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 19, 1998, 35 hours before - Departed: EAU, EAU CLAIRE, WI - Flight plan: IFR ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N100TS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N100TS-2002-04-23), registration cancelled 2002-04-23, S/N 185-0639 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185B - Registry model: [Cessna 185B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185b) (registry code 2072806) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1850639 - Airframe hours: 5236 - Engines: Continental IO-470-F18 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: D.R. Henning/C.W. Sirek - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 8, 1997, 41 hours before - Departed: RLA, WISSOTA, WI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N5056J; age 24; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,960 total, 160 in this make and model, 1,894 as pilot in command, 209 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days - Pilot, aircraft N100TS; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 183 total, 81 in this make and model, 142 as pilot in command, 7 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EAU, 3 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980831022421A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980831022421A), Aug 31, 1998: Cessna 310R, Eau Claire, WI, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On August 31, 1998, at 1946 central daylight itme, a Cessna 310R, N5056J, piloted by a commercial pilot, and operated as night chase cargo flight 303 under 14… - [Accident 19980831022442A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980831022442A), Aug 31, 1998: Cessna 185B, Eau Claire, WI, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On August 31, 1998, at 1946 central daylight time, a Cessna 310R, N5056J, piloted by a commercial pilot, and operated as night chase cargo flight 303 under 14… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.