MKC85FA088

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 310G · Mena, AR · April 22, 1985

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report

Date: April 22, 1985, 08:16 local (14:16 UTC)
Place: Mena, AR
Injuries: 2 fatal
Damage: Destroyed
Phase of flight: Enroute
Aircraft: N8942ZCessna 310G
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19850422014159A
Case key: 33832

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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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.

In flight encounter with weatherCruise

Preflight planning/preparation - improperPilot in commandFactor

In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandFactor

Overconfidence in personal abilityPilot in commandFactor

Vfr flight into imc - intentionalPilot in commandFactor

Overconfidence in aircraft's abilityPilot in commandFactor

Flight into known adverse weather - intentionalPilot in commandCause

Improper use of equipment/aircraftPilot in commandFactor

Loss of control - in flightCruise

Weather condition - turbulence(thunderstorms)

Design stress limits of aircraft - exceededPilot in commandCause

Wing - overload

Wing - failure,total

Flight control surfaces/attachments - overload

Flight control surfaces/attachments - failure,total

In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The acft crashed out of control after an in-flt airframe failure. The plt had entered an area of thunderstorms after being advised that VFR flt was not recommended in that area. The plt was single eng rated and his flt time in this z eng acft was 18 hrs.

Aircraft

Registration: N8942Z
Reported as: Cessna 310G
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 310G-0042
Airframe hours: 6,153
Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Destroyed
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Robert W. Marshall
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: Annual · July 20, 1984 · 45 hours before
Departed: FYV · Fayetteville, AR
Destination: CRP · Corpus Christi, TX

N8942ZRegistration cancelled Mar 29, 1990 · Cessna 310GS/N 310G0042 Airframe modelCessna 310G

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: 38
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 473 total · 18 in this make and model · 234 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 140° at 11 knots, gusting 20
Visibility: 6 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken
Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Observed at: FYV, 39 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

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

Accident 19850422014159ACessna STC310 · Mena, ARAircraft came apart after encountering thunderstorm. Convective sigmets in area. Pilot not multi or IFR rated.Apr 22, 1985 · N8942Z · Destroyed · 1 fatal

Other investigations on N8942Z · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI74FEE85Accident · No injuriesClosedJoliet, ILJun 12, 1974 · Substantial damage