Cessna 310Q accident near Mitchell, South Dakota, February 7, 2001
On February 7, 2001 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N10ET, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mitchell, South Dakota (Mitchell Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot disregarded the aircraft limitation placard, and attempted flight into known adverse weather after receiving a hazardous weather advisory. Factors to the accident were the ice-covered cockpit windshield, the ice-covered runway, and the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2001 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchell, South Dakota · Mitchell Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N10ET · registry record · serial 310Q0415
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight the aircraft encountered icing-conditions andthe pilot elected to divert to a near-by airport. During the landing attempt, the aircraft slid into a snowbank, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot stated, "Trying to get on top after being cleared to 14,000 msl I decided it was better [to] land. Clearance was given for VOR 12 [instrument] approach at Mitchell S.D. [Mitchell Municipal Airport]. Due to poor forward visibility due to ice on the windshield, I landed on a very icy runway and slid into plowed snow, causing damage [to] the plane." According to records provided from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records from Huron Automated Flight Service Station, the pilot had received a standard weather briefing prior to the accident flight. According to a transcript of the weather briefing, the Huron-AFSS briefer informed the pilot that there was, "moderate rime or mixed icing in clouds and in precipitation below flight level one eight zero for your entire route". At the completion of the standard weather briefing the pilot filed an instrument flight plan for a flight from Sioux Falls to Rapid City. Postaccident investigation of the airplane revealed a placard located on the instrument panel that stated, "Warning - Not Certified For Flight Into Known Icing Conditions".
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,674 hours in all; 1,038 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,543 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,956.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2000; 45.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-420-V0 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-420-V0 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FSD Sioux Falls SD at 8:06 pm
- Destination: MHE Mitchell SD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 6,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:59 pm from MHE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.