Cessna 310R accident near Traverse City, Michigan, December 27, 2007
On December 27, 2007 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N37249, was destroyed in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan (Cherry Capital Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath during the instrument approach, which led to his loss of control and subsequent impact with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2007 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · Cherry Capital Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N37249 · no longer on the register · serial 310R0975
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on an instrument flight rules flight plan and had been cleared for an instrument landing system approach to the destination airport. Radar data showed that during the final approach the airplane's position remained within the lateral bounds of the localizer beam, but varied to the left and right of the center of the beam. The altitude data showed that the airplane's descent profile was not stabilized and remained above the upper bound of the glideslope beam for about 2 minutes prior to the end of the data. The final descent rate was calculated to be about 1,500 feet per minute and the airspeed was calculated to be about 77 knots. No preimpact deficiencies were found with respect to the airplane, its engines, or systems. The weather conditions present at the time included a 1,700-foot overcast ceiling and icing conditions. Air traffic control communications showed that the pilot was made aware of the 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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO 520 Series (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO 520 Series (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SBN South Bend IN at 10:20 pm
- Destination: TVC Traverse City MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 6,500 ft by 147 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TVC, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.