Cessna 310 accident near Madisonville, Kentucky, October 4, 1983
On October 4, 1983 at about 5:30 am local time, a Cessna 310, registered N4880B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madisonville, Kentucky (Madisonville airport). It was a business 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
- October 4, 1983 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Madisonville, Kentucky · Madisonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N4880B · no longer on the register · serial 35180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN ON A RETURN FLT AFTER BEING REFUELED AT TRENTON, NJ. HE REPORTED THAT THE ACFT HELD 100 GAL OF USABLE FUEL & HAD CONSUMED 70 GALS ON THE INITIAL FLT ON THE SAME ROUTE. HE REPORTED THAT THE GROUND SPEED & FUEL CHECKS CONFIRMED A FORCASTED 15 KT HEAD WIND. HE EXPECTED THAT THE ACFT WOULD USE AN ADDITIONAL 10 GAL ON THE RETURN TRIP. HE STATED THAT HE STARTED A DESCENT ABOUT 50 MI FROM THE DESTINATION WITH THE FUEL GAGES INDICATING APRX 25 GAL. HOWEVER, THE FUEL INDICATION BEGAN DROPPING RAPIDLY. BEFORE REACHING THE RWY, BOTH ENGS LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT STATED THAT HIS FUEL GAGES INDICATED THERE WAS 5 GAL REMAINING IN EACH TANK. DURING THE LANDING AT NIGHT, THE GEAR COLLAPSED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTN Trenton NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.