Cessna 310Q accident near Fredricksburg, Virginia, July 24, 1983
On July 24, 1983 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N69979, was destroyed in an accident near Fredricksburg, Virginia (Shannon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- July 24, 1983 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fredricksburg, Virginia · Shannon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N69979 · no longer on the register · serial 1052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED AND BURNED DURING A GO-AROUND AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RWY AT ABOUT THE 1500 FT POINT ON A 3000 FT RWY. THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS FEATHERED. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A SINGLE ENGINE PRACTICE LANDING AND BELIEVED HE COULD NOT STOP ON THE RWY SO HE TRIED A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND. THE ACFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL BEFORE SETTLING TO THE GROUND WHERE IT CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO THE RIGHT OF THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION FLT TRAINING HANDBOOK STATES THAT SIMULATED ENGINE OUT PRACTICE AT LOW ALT. SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY REDUCING POWER TO ZERO THRUST. THE OPERATORS HANDBOOK STATES THAT IF A SINGLE ENG. GO-AROUND IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY IT SHOULD BE DONE AT AIRSPEEDS OF 105 OR MORE, ENG. RPM AT 2625 AND FULL THROTTLE. THE FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR SHOULD BE RETRACTED. THE HANDBOOK ALSO STATES THAT A NORMAL LANDING WITH 35 DEGREES OF FLAPS ON HARD SURFACE WITH NO WIND AND MAX BRAKING WILL HAVE A GROUND ROLL OF 582 FT AT 5300# GROSS WEIGHT AT 103 MPH.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 1, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:00 pm from W07
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.