Cessna 310 accident near New Bern, North Carolina, July 10, 1988
On July 10, 1988 at about 6:00 am local time, a Cessna 310, registered N670R, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Bern, North Carolina (Simmons Nott airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. 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 10, 1988 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- New Bern, North Carolina · Simmons Nott · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N670R · no longer on the register · serial 35081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPTD THE LT ENGINE LOST PWR ON 'VERY SHORT FINAL'. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED AND YAWED LEFT, AND CRASHED NOSE-DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED THE NEXT DAY BY AN FAA INSPECTOR; HE RPTD FINDING NO EVIDENCE OF A MECH MALFUNCTION. HE ESTIMATED THAT ONLY 3 GAL OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE LT MAIN TANK: THE RT MAIN & 2 AUX TANKS HAD SUSTAINED IMPACT DAMAGE AND WERE EMPTY. THE INST PANEL CONTAINED A PLACARD IAW AD 69-15-09 WHICH STATED THAT OPS W/ LESS THAN 5 GAL IN EA MAIN TANK WAS PROHIBITED. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE UNUSABLE QTY WAS 1 GAL PER TANK. HE RPTD THAT THE FUEL GAUGES HAD INDICATED 7 GAL IN EA MAIN TANK AND 10-11 GAL IN EA AUX TANK DURING FINAL APPCH, AND THAT HE FOUND AN ESTIMATED 5-7 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE LT MAIN TANK SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE NOTED THAT HE HAD STOPPED USING THE AUX TANKS EARLIER IN THE FLT WHEN THE RT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH; THE ROUGHNESS CEASED WHEN HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAINS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 615 hours in all; 258 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1987; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Falcon Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: ECG Elizabeth City NC at 5:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,804 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from EWN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.