Cessna 310Q accident near Wapakoneta, Ohio, March 8, 2014
On March 8, 2014 at about 4:20 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 310Q, registered N69980, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Wapakoneta, Ohio (Neil Armstrong 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
A fire due to a fuel leak of the cabin heater system. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance of the airplane, which failed to identify leaks in the heater system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2014 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wapakoneta, Ohio · Neil Armstrong · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q Q, built 1974 · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N69980 · no longer on the register · serial 310Q1053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the private pilot, the cross-country flight was uneventful. As he parked the airplane on the ramp at the conclusion of the flight, a "puff of smoke" came from below the instrument panel. The pilot immediately shut down the electrical system, but the smoke continued to increase. He completed the airplane shutdown checklist, then he and the passengers exited the airplane. After exiting the airplane, the pilot stated he could hear fire in the nose compartment and saw paint on the nose compartment beginning to discolor. He removed the nose access panel and extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. The heater had a history of fuel leaks, as evidenced by cracks found in the heater and fuel evaporation marks in the fuel pump box. Airplane maintenance manuals and manufacturer service bulletins recommended recurring inspections of the heater system and fuel lines, but there was no documentation in the airplane's maintenance records that the inspections had been completed.
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
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Air conditioning system › Heating system › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 5,302 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor I0-520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor I0-520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KCAK North Canton OH at 3:18 pm
- Destination: KAXV Wapakoneta OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:13 pm from KAXV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on January 6, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Heater Information | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Materials Laboratory-heater Examination | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Service Bulletin ME73-3 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Service Bulletin MEB95-9 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.