Cessna 310 Safety Record

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO INSURE THE AIRCRAFT CONTAINED ADEQUATE FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO PROGRESS TO A POINT WHERE A SAFE FLIGHT REGIMEN COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. A FACTOR WAS: THE DUAL STUDENTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE TERRAIN AVOIDANCE ALTITUDE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND FEATURELESS SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, BOTH WHICH CREATED A 'FEATURELESS TERRAIN ILLUSION' WHICH PROBABLY LED THE PILOT TO VISUALLY OVERESTIMATE HIS ALTITUDE.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ICING CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED, AND THE WINDSHIELD & AIRFRAME ICE.

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT OUTBOARD TORQUE TUBE IN THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR VALVE ASSEMBLY HOUSING RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS HILLY TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARKNESS, LOW CLOUDS, AND LIGHT SNOW.

THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING WAKE TURBULENCE (VOTEX) AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE DETAILED IN FAA PUBLICATIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE, AND 2) INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY FROM THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.

PILOT'S AND MECHANIC'S INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION BY NOT RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AFTER EXPERIENCING THE INITIAL ENGINE LOSS OF POWER ON TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION, THE HIGH VEGETATION, AND THE ROAD SIGN.

LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AFTER THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE AREA OF A THUNDERSTORM AND LIGHTNING.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTORS IN FLIGHT WHICH CAUSED BOTH ENGINES TO FAIL DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE COMPLACENCY OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND.

LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES FROM FUEL STARVATION AND THE IMPROPER SELECTOR POSITIONS OF FUEL TANKS BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLERS.

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB ON ALL ENGINES FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THIS RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING, IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES, TERRAIN, AND POSTCRASH FIRE.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE OVER HIGH, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH TERRAIN, AND THE FOG, CLOUDS, AND OBSCURATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

THE APPROACH CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SEQUENCE ARRIVING TRAFFIC, AND THE TOWER CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO SEQUENCE AND SEPARATE LANDING TRAFFIC. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A LANDING CLEARANCE AND THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS.

FAILURE OF THE LEFT VOLTAGE REGULATOR. FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT/MECHANIC TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE AIRCRAFT, AND FAILURE OF THE RIGHT ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER.

INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO TAKE SUFFICIENT REMEDIAL ACTION TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.