NYC94LA015

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 310L · Tewksbury, MA · October 22, 1993

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 22, 1993, 11:10 local (15:10 UTC)
Place
Tewksbury, MA
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3328XCessna 310L
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 13, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19931022040549A
Case key
38704

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

was an improperly planned approach, and excessive compensation for the winds by the pilot which resulted in an overrun, and on ground collision with a fence and vehicle. A factor was the gusty crosswinds.

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.

OverrunLanding - roll
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Planned approach - improperPilot in commandCause
Compensation for wind conditions - excessivePilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - fence
Object - vehicle

Analysis

During the landing, the airplane overran the runway, struck a fence, and collided with a vehicle on a road. According to the pillot, during the approach, he 'carried extra speed and less flaps' because of a 20 knot crosswind. Examination of the runway, revealed the airplane touched down about halfway down the 2800 foot runway.

Factual narrative

On Friday, October 22, 1993, at 1110 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310L, N3328X, piloted by Mr. Peter J. Bottazi, of Marlboro, Massachusetts, ran off the departure end of the runway and struck a vehicle while landing at Tew-Mac Airport, Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The airplane received substantial damage and there were no injuries to the pilot. The driver of the vehicle received minor injuries and the two passengers in the vehicle were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.

In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:

Severe turbulence, could not line up with runway because of crosswind - carried extra speed and less flaps - ran off end of runway.

The pilot was landing on runway 21, which is 2830 feet long, 26 feet wide, and has an asphalt surface. The pilot reported the winds from 300 degrees, at 20 to 25 knots, with gusts to 30 to 35 knots. The FAA reported the winds a variable between 240 to 300 degrees at 10 to 22 MPH.

According to FAA Inspector, Mr. Donald Small,

"...the aircraft landed halfway down runway 21...Immediately after touchdown the right wheel was off the pavement and in the grass. The aircraft started drifting more...and more to the right as the landing roll progressed. At the end of runway 21, the aircraft was completely off to the right side of the runway in the grass. The aircraft went past the end of runway 21, traveled approximately 100 feet, traveled through a five foot high chain link fence, traveled fifty feet more, and hit a car with three occupants...."

According to FAA Inspector, Mr. Gary Clarke,

"...I noted that there were solid skid marks for both main landing gear for a distance of approximately 1500 feet. The skid marks extended from a point of initial application, approximately 1/2 down the runway, and continued, unbroken, for the entire length of the remainder of the runway, and through the grass and gravel to the right of the runway where the plane left the paved surface toward the end, up the embankment, and onto the paved surface of the highway, Route 38."

The FAA also said the pilot did not possess a current FAA Airman Medical Certificate.

According to Mr. Andrew Hall, an air safety investigator, with the Cessna Aircraft Company, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component is not published in the owners manual.

Aircraft

Registration
N3328X
Reported as
Cessna 310L
Category
Airplane
Serial number
310L-0178
Airframe hours
3,247
Engine
Continental IO-470-V, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 91
Operator
Peter J. Bottazzi
Registered owner
Steven Bottazzi
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 23, 1993 · 15 hours before
Airport
B09 · Tew-Mac, runway 21, 2,830 × 75 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
62
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Expired
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
6,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
300° at 20 knots, gusting 30
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

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