Cessna 310R N123RA

Summary

On 8 January 2001 at about 12:00 local time, a Cessna 310R registered N123RA was involved in an accident near Bluefield, West Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 2001 at 12:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bluefield, West Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Mercer County (BLF)

Coordinates

37.2839, -81.2061

Aircraft

Cessna 310R

Registration

N123RA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lewisburg → Bluefield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01FA064

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to execute the published missed approach procedure. A factor was heavy snowfall during the approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot initiated an ILS approach during a period of light snow, and a ceiling of 400 feet. During the approach, a band of heavy snow, with reduced visibility, moved over the airport. The pilot reported established on the approach, then acknowledged a frequency change to the airport's common traffic advisory frequency. No further transmissions were received. Radar data revealed that the airplane joined the localizer outside the initial approach fix, and proceeded inbound, on course. Due to limited radar coverage, the last radar contact with the airplane was about 3/4 of a mile inside the final approach fix, still on course, about 1,850 feet above the airport. A witness, about 1/3 to 1/2 mile to the east of the airport, saw the airplane fly overhead at a very low altitude, then heard the engines rev up, and saw the airplane climb. The airplane disappeared into the falling snow, and the witness then heard the sound of a crash. Airplane wreckage was later found on rising terrain, about 1/2 nautical mile to the left of the runway's departure end. The landing gear and flaps were up, and the elevator was trimmed for a climb. Trees were initially cut at an ascending angle of about 5 degrees for approximately 50 feet, then a descending angle of about 5 degrees for another 250 feet. The wreckage elevation was approximately the same as the decision height for the ILS approach. There was no evidence of pre-accident mechanical failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.