Cessna 310R and Beech E18S accident near Memphis, Tennessee, January 28, 1994
On January 28, 1994 at about 3:30 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 310R (N3844C) and Beech E18S (N2069C), were involved in the same accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International airport). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N2069C TO FOLLOW THE ATC DIRECTIVE TO GIVE WAY TO N3844C, AND THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF N2069C. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N2069C TO FOLLOW THE ATC DIRECTIVE TO GIVE WAY TO N3844C, AND THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF N2069C. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1994 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3844C · registry record · serial 310R1238
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2069C · registry record · serial BA-430
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310R final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3844C (A CESSNA 310R) LANDED ON RUNWAY 36R AT MEM, AS N2069C (A BEECH E18S) WAS TAXIING FROM THE UPS RAMP TO THE AMR COMBS SOUTH RAMP. THE CESSNA STAYED WITH MEM TOWER AFTER CLEAR OF RUNWAY 36R, AND WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE AMR COMBS SOUTH RAMP. MEM GROUND, WHO WAS WORKING THE BEECH 18, DIRECTED THE BEECH TO GIVE WAY TO THE CESSNA, AS THEY WERE NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. THE BEECH 18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS TAXIING TO THE AMR COMBS NORTH RAMP. ACCORDING TO TWO MARSHALLERS ON THE RAMP AND THE CESSNA PILOT, THE BEECH 18 COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA FROM THE LEFT, REAR SIDE. THE MARSHALLERS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE BEECH 18 HAD ONLY THE STROBE LIGHT ON WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED; THE POSITION AND TAXI LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE BEECH 18 PILOT REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE CESSNA WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED.
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 E18S final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3844C (A CESSNA 310R) LANDED ON RUNWAY 36R AT MEM, AS N2069C (A BEECH E18S) WAS TAXIING FROM THE UPS RAMP TO THE AMR COMBS SOUTH RAMP. THE CESSNA STAYED WITH MEM TOWER AFTER CLEAR OF RUNWAY 36R, AND WAS CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE AMR COMBS SOUTH RAMP. MEM GROUND, WHO WAS WORKING THE BEECH 18, DIRECTED THE BEECH TO GIVE WAY TO THE CESSNA, AS THEY WERE NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA. THE BEECH 18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS TAXIING TO THE AMR COMBS NORTH RAMP. ACCORDING TO TWO MARSHALLERS ON THE RAMP AND THE CESSNA PILOT, THE BEECH 18 COLLIDED WITH THE CESSNA FROM THE LEFT, REAR SIDE. THE MARSHALLERS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE BEECH 18 HAD ONLY THE STROBE LIGHT ON WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED; THE POSITION AND TAXI LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE BEECH 18 PILOT REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE CESSNA WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED.
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 310R from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,940 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,550 as pilot in command; 505 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,516 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 11, 1993; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ras, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MEI Meridian MS at 2:20 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 8,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from MEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech E18S from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,889 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1993; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Springdale Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- 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 N3844C 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.