Cessna 310L accident near Detroit, Michigan, May 4, 2002
On May 4, 2002 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Cessna 310L, registered N1199L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Detroit, Michigan (Detroit City 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 total failure of the electrical system, the landing gear indicating system not operating, and the unsuccessful emergency landing gear extension.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2002 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Detroit, Michigan · Detroit City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N1199L · no longer on the register · serial 0033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight the airplane lost all electrical power and the pilot extended the landing gear using the emergency gear extension hand crank. During landing the main and nose landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage. According to the Cessna 310L Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), when the landing gear does not extend electrically the pilot is to rotate the emergency landing gear hand crank, "Clockwise four turns past point where gear down lights come on (approximately 52 turns)." Due to the electrical failure the gear position indicating lights were inoperative.
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
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 610 in this make and model; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,272 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2001; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental I0-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DET Detroit MI at 11:35 am
- Destination: PDK Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 5,090 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 12:16 pm from KDET
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.