Cessna 310K N474AR

Summary

On 4 March 1994 at about 02:55 local time, a Cessna 310K registered N474AR, operated by ARI BEN Aviator Inc., was involved in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 March 1994 at 02:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Wichita Falls, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.8899, -98.5094

Aircraft

Cessna 310K

Registration

N474AR

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

ARI BEN Aviator Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dallas → Denver

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW94FA091

4 people died.

WAS THE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S SPATIAL DISORIENTATION FOLLOWING A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AS RESULT OF BURNED OUT WIRING TERMINAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS AT AN IFR ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 8,000 FEET ON A DARK VMC NIGHT, WHEN ATC REPORTED THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER RECEIVING THEIR TRANSPONDER. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IN THE COCKPIT, BUT WERE TRYING TO WORK OUT THE SITUATION. A FEW MINUTES LATER THEY LOST RADAR CONTACT AS THE AIRPLANE INITIATED A DESCENT TOWARDS A NEARBY JOINT USE MILITARY-CIVILIAN AIRPORT SERVED BY APPROACH CONTROL RADAR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT IDENTIFIED BUT WAS TRACKED ON PRIMARY RADAR TO A POINT 2.8 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. DURING THE LAST FEW MILES OF THE FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED WESTBOUND OVER SPARSELY POPULATED RURAL AREA THAT OFFERED MINIMAL OR NO VISUAL REFERENCE IN THE DARK NIGHT. WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AIRPLANE ENGINES FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED, WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED BY EMERGENCY MODE. THE LEFT GENERATOR WAS FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE, AND THE GROUNDING WIRE FROM THE RIGHT VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BURNED OUT TERMINAL END. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER HAD A FLASH LIGHT IN HIS HAND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.