Cessna 310 and Beech 95-55 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, March 11, 1982
On March 11, 1982 at about 6:40 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 310 (N5253J) and Beech 95-55 (N303RM), were involved in the same accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville Metro airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1982 · about 6:40 am local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N5253J · no longer on the register · serial 310R0814
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 95-55 · all 95-55s on the register
- Registration
- N303RM · registry record
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF AT NIGHT WITH ALL TAXI LIGHTS ON, WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCK FROM THE LEFT BY ANOTHER PLANE. HE STATED THAT THE OTHER PLANE, BEECH 95-55, N303RM, WAS TAXIING WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO TAXI TO THE SAME RUNWAY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 95-55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 310, N5253J AT NIGHT AFTER BOTH PLANES HAD BEEN CLEARED TO THE SAME RUNWAY. THE OTHER PILOT STATED THAT THE BEECH 95-55 WAS TAXIING WITHOUT LIGHTS. REPORTEDLY, THE CESSNA PILOT DID NOT SEE THE BEECH 95-55 APPROACHING FROM HIS LEFT UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Cessna 310 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,742 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 1,605 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,007 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Courier Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BNA Nashville IN
- Destination: SDF Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 250 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 95-55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5253J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.