- Date
- May 14, 1985, 16:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- Marfa, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5838XCessna 310F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850514016999A
- Case key
- 21549
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt experienced a partial pwr loss from the right eng during the takeoff climb and in his haste to circle back and land did not allow the acft to gain alt. He then failed to maintain adequate airspeed and as a result, lost control of the acft and stalled without sufficient alt to affect recovery before ground impact. Post accident examination of the acft disclosed several discepancies. 1) the induction air filter was clogged with dirt/debris, 2) the automatic air door hinge was broken preventing the door from remaining closed and 3) the automatic air door hinge behind the manual alternate air butterfly was broken. The spark plugs on the right eng were carbon fouled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5838X
- Reported as
- Cessna 310F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310-0138
- Airframe hours
- 3,901
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Oscar Wallace Ketron
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 4, 1985 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- MRF · Marfa, TX
- Destination
- El Paso, TX
- Airport
- MRF · Marfa Muni
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,697 total · 11 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5838X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.