Cessna 310Q accident near Lafayette, Georgia, May 8, 1998
On May 8, 1998 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N310DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Georgia (Barwick Lafayette airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 flare during landing. Factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane and the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1998 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Georgia · Barwick Lafayette · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N310DR · no longer on the register · serial 00104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had flown several approaches to runway 2 and floated during the flares. On this landing, he did not extend the flaps, and flew the landing approach about five knots slower. Just before touchdown, with a good descent rate, he rotated with no change in the airplane's performance. The airplane landed hard, and the left main tire ruptured. The airplane veered off the runway, then veered further left, eventually colliding with a ditch. The airline transport rated pilot passenger stated to the pilot that it felt as if the airplane sank abruptly, and may have encountered a wind shift. The pilot also stated that this aircraft was a later model than he had previously flown, so he had only one hour total flight time in it. He believes, in retrospect, he should have received flight instruction before attempting to fly the airplane. The wind was from 290 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,380 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,210 as pilot in command; 835 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,497 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1997; 116 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,250 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CHA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.