Cessna 310R accident near Jackson, Michigan, July 11, 2002
On July 11, 2002 at about 2:02 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N5061J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Michigan (Jackson County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper management of the fuel system, including his failure to reposition the fuel selectors to the main fuel tanks prior to landing, as directed in the pilot operating handbook. Additional causes to the accident were the pilot not maintaining aircraft control during the engine failure and his delayed remedial action to the encountered uncommanded roll (VMC roll). A factor to the accident was the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2002 · about 2:02 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Michigan · Jackson County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5061J · no longer on the register · serial 310R0181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin-engine airplane departed control flight and impacted the terrain during a landing attempt. The pilot reported that while landing the airplane experienced an uncommanded right roll after he advanced engine power to arrest the airplane's descent rate. The pilot attempted a go-around by adding engine power; however, this exacerbated the airplane's right turning tendency. The pilot reported he reduced power on both engines, and attempted to bring the airplane back to a level attitude using left rudder and aileron. The airplane impacted the terrain in a right wing down, nose low attitude. No anomalies were found with the flight control system during the post-accident examination. Inspection of the propellers indicate at impact the left engine was producing significantly more power than the right engine. The right engine was test run and no anomalies were noted with its operation. All four fuel tanks were found damaged and/or ruptured, which prevented the post-accident determination of the fuel quantity and its distribution. The airplane was fully fueled (163 gallons) prior to departing on the 2.5 hour flight. The pilot reported he used the auxiliary fuel tanks during cruise flight, but did not recall if he had switched back to the main fuel tanks prior to landing. The pilot said that "as a habit" he would have normally switched back to the main tanks. The pilot reportedly turned the fuel selectors to the off position after the accident. The flight's total fuel burn was approximately 75 gallons, based on an average fuel burn of 30 gallons/hour. Although the auxiliary tanks hold a total of 63 gallons of fuel, pilots should only expect one hour of operation from the tanks because the engine recovery fuel is returned to the main tanks, not the auxiliary tanks. The engine manufacturer reports up to 31.66 gallons/hour of fuel is recovered into the two main tanks. The Cessna 310R Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) recommends the engines be operated on their respective main tanks for the first 90 minutes of a flight, as to allow ample space in the tanks to accept the recovery fuel from operating on the auxiliary tanks. The POH specifically states that all takeoffs and landings should be made with the fuel selectors positioned on their respective main fuel tanks.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,488.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 2002; 22.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,680 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520-M(1) (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520-M(1) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTD Baltimore MD at 11:30 am
- Destination: JXN Jackson MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 5,344 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 2:02 pm from JXN
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.