Cessna 310Q accident near Nappanee, Indiana, August 10, 2004
On August 10, 2004 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N7940Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nappanee, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delay in the pilot's performance of an aborted takeoff. A factor was the reported restricted movement of the elevator. Additional factors were the rising easement and roadway the airplane went over before coming to rest in the farmers field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2004 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nappanee, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N7940Q · no longer on the register · serial 310Q0623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during an aborted takeoff. The pilot's stated, "It was a perfect takeoff, until I reached 105 mph. I attempted to rotate the plane, but was unable to even lift the nose wheel off the ground. I tried again at 115 mph, but the plane was still unresponsive. After the 2nd failed rotation attempt, I immediately closed the throttles and applied heavy breaking. ... While I kept the plane straight, we went through a barb-wire fence, up over a road, down an easement and stopped in a farmer's field."
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: 710 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 620 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C03 Nappanee IN at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SKY Sandusky OH
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 11:24 pm from GSH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.