Cessna 310R accident near Oak Creek, Wisconsin, July 18, 2001
On July 18, 2001 at about 3:40 am local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N1448Z, was destroyed in an accident near Oak Creek, Wisconsin (General Mitchell International airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining clearance from objects during an ILS approach in low night IFR conditions and his descent below decision height. Factors were the dark night, mist, low ceiling, and the trees west of the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2001 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Oak Creek, Wisconsin · General Mitchell International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N1448Z · registry record · serial 310R1527
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during an ILS approach. A post-impact on ground fire occurred. The air traffic controllers asked the pilot to keep the speed up on the approach. The reported weather was: Visibility 1/2 statute mile; present weather mist; sky condition broken 300 feet; temperature 21 degrees C; dew point 21 degrees C; altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. The airplane impacted a wooded area west of the approach lights to the intended runway. Tree branches and a tree, along a linear path from the edge of this wooded area to where the airplane's fuselage came to rest, were found broken off and laying on the ground. The linear path was about 500 feet long. The fuselage came to rest about 400 feet south of College Avenue and about 1,800 feet from the approach end of the intended runway's centerline. The airplane's fuselage was found inverted, discolored, and deformed. Sections of the fuselage were found melted. The landing gear was found in the down position. No pre-impact anomalies were found. North of the wreckage site, across College Avenue, was a lighted aircraft ramp area. FAR 135.243 requires a pilot operating under IFR to have at least 1,200 hours of flight time. The operator reported that the pilot had 1,250 hours total time and that he had flown a total of 194 hours time in type in the last 90 days. The operator reported that the pilot flew 44.5 hours during instrument meteorological conditions and that he had flown 60 instrument approaches in the last 90 days.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,220.7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 13, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 5,535 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-550-A (2) (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-550-A (2) (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Heartland Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: CWA Mosinee WI at 2:49 am
- Destination: MKE Milwaukee WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1L, 9,690 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:03 am from MKE, 1 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 N1448Z 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.