Cessna 401 accident near Monroe, North Carolina, August 1, 1991
On August 1, 1991 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 401, registered N3298Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1991 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401 · all 401s on the register
- Registration
- N3298Q · no longer on the register · serial 401-0098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE PILOT'S SECOND ATTEMPT TO FLY TO HIS DESTINATION. ACCORDING TO AIRPORT PERSONNEL, HE DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE AFTER HE RETURNED FROM THE FIRST ATTEMPT. HE HAD ONLOADED 43.6 GALLONS OF FUEL BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE FIRST FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTING RUTHERFORDTON ON THE SECOND FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND 4 MILES NORTH OF MONROE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING AS IT FLEW OVERHEAD; SECONDS LATER, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA. A WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS EMPTY. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT ENGINE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER. AIRPORT PERSONNEL ALSO REPORTED THE PILOT WAS NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE FOR CRUISE AT 75% POWER WAS ABOUT 16 GALLONS PER HOUR PER ENGINE. THE PILOT HAD OPERATED THE ENGINES APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES BEFORE THEY LOST POWER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,310 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,975 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 31, 1991; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57A Rutherfordton NC at 5:30 pm
- Destination: RVQ Salisbury NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CLT, 25 miles away
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 N3298Q 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.