Cessna 310N accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, November 20, 1984
On November 20, 1984 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 310N, registered N31747, was destroyed in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana (Unknown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1984 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310N · all 310Ns on the register
- Registration
- N31747 · no longer on the register · serial 310N.0179
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING AT 'TREE TOP LEVEL' WITH THE WINGS 'WAGGING'. ONE WITNESS REPORTED HEARING NO ENGINE SOUNDS. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN (OPEN FIELD) IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, APRX 100 FT SOUTH OF A HIGHWAY. LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE EXTENDED POSITION AND FLAPS WERE NEAR FULL DOWN. BOTH PROPS WERE FEATERED AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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
- Flight time: 1,645 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 1,506 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1983; 318 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JSO Jacksonville TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: VPZ Valparaiso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:30 pm from VPZ, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.