LAX94LA345

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 310L · Agua Dulce, CA · September 1, 1994

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 1, 1994, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC)
Place
Agua Dulce, CA
Injuries
2 minor, 3 uninjured
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N3272XCessna 310L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 9, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19940901024869A
Case key
28847

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft while reaching cross cockpit for the flap control.

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.

Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skidGo-around (vfr)
Raising of flaps - initiatedPilot in command
Diverted attentionPilot in command
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterGo-around (vfr)

Analysis

The aircraft owner, who is also a pilot, said the aircraft and pilot departed van nuys, California, on the morning of the accident, stopped at Agua Dulce to pick up the owner and the other passengers, then proceeded to mammoth lakes for a business meeting. The aircraft was returning the passengers to Agua Dulce when the accident happened. The pilot and the aircraft owner both said there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft. The pilot was on short final approach to runway 22 when the aircraft drifted right of the runway. The pilot elected to do a go-around and applied full power; both the pilot and the aircraft owner stated that both engines responded with full power. The pilot reached for the flap selector switch and the aircraft began rolling to the left. Before the pilot could correct the left roll, the left wing tip collided with the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled to a stop. The pilot said that the windsock indicated the wind appeared to be directly down the runway. A pilot witness on the ground said the winds at the time were from 250 degrees at 15 knots, with higher gusts of unknown intensity.

Factual narrative

On September 1, 1994, at 1510 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 310L, N3272X, collided with the ground during an attempted go- around at the Agua Dulce, California, airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by West Winds Aviation, of Van Nuys, California, and was on a cross-country business transportation flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed in the ground collision sequence. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured; however, two passengers sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at Mammoth Lakes, California, on the day of the accident at 1315 hours as a cross-country flight to Agua Dulce.

According to the aircraft owner, who is also a pilot, the aircraft and pilot departed Van Nuys, California, on the morning of the accident, stopped at Agua Dulce to pick up the owner and the other passengers, then proceeded to Mammoth Lakes for a business meeting. The aircraft was returning the passengers to Agua Dulce when the accident happened.

The pilot and the aircraft owner both stated that there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft. The pilot was on short final approach to runway 22 when the aircraft drifted right of the runway. The pilot elected to do a go-around and applied full power; both the pilot and the aircraft owner stated that both engines responded with full power. The pilot reached for the flap selector switch and the aircraft began rolling to the left. Before the pilot could correct the left roll, the left wing tip collided with the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled to a stop.

The pilot stated that when he observed the windsock while on approach the wind appeared to be directly down the runway. A ground witness, who is also a pilot, reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 15 knots, with higher gusts of unknown intensity.

Aircraft

Registration
N3272X
Reported as
Cessna 310L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
310L-0122
Engine
Continental IO-470-V, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Feuerhelm Transportation, Inc., doing business as West Winds Aviation
Registered owner
Feuerhelm Transportation, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
Departed
MMH · Mammoth Lakes, CA
Destination
L70
Airport
L70 · Agua Dulce Airpark, runway 22, 4,600 × 50 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
28
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
830 total · 30 in this make and model · 650 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 15 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.