- Date
- April 29, 2018, 21:30 local (Apr 30, 2018, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gainesville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2212ACessna 310
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180429004329A
- Case key
- 97139
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 an adequate approach path at night, which resulted in a tree strike.
Findings · 4
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, on final approach at night, while speaking with the control tower, the airplane's left horizontal stabilizer struck a tree. The pilot added full power, pitched up, the airplane yawed left, and he resumed final approach. The airplane landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, on final approach at night, while speaking with the control tower, the left horizontal stabilizer struck a tree. The pilot added full power, pitched up, the airplane yawed left, and he resumed final approach. The airplane landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2212A
- Reported as
- Cessna 310 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310G-0018
- Built
- 1962
- Airframe hours
- 3,193.5
- Engines
- Cont Motor IO-470-D, 260 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor IO-470-D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 21, 2018
- Departed
- PXE · Perry, GA
- Destination
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Airport
- GNV · Gainesville Rgnl, runway 11, 7,504 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 12, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 207.3 total · 67.3 in this make and model · 115.3 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 7.3 in the last 30 days · 1.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KGNV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB 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.