Cessna 310N accident near Covington, Georgia, January 10, 1995
On January 10, 1995 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 310N, registered N4104Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Covington, Georgia (Covington 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL MANAGEMENT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1995 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Georgia · Covington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310N · all 310Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4104Q · no longer on the register · serial 310N-0004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE EXECUTING A FORCED LANDING INTO COVINGTON, GEORGIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PILOT RATED PASSENGER HAD COMPLETED A FLIGHT FROM PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA, AND WERE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT COVINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FOR A VISUAL APPROACH WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER IN BOTH ENGINES, AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED FROM THE BASE LEG TO FINAL. THE PILOTS HAD FLOWN DURING CRUISE WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS POSITION, AND HAD SWITCHED TO THE MAIN FUEL TANKS POSITION WHILE TURNING ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG. LESS THAN 42 OUNCES OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK, AND LESS THAN ONE GALLON WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT AUXILIARY TANK. THE MAIN TIP TANKS WERE FOUND TO HAVE 35 GALLONS EACH.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,211 hours in all; 142 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 1994; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFC Peachtree City GA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from ATL, 25 miles away
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.