Cessna 310R accident near Belvidere, Illinois, November 8, 1986
On November 8, 1986 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N6096C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belvidere, Illinois (Belvidere LTD airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 8, 1986 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belvidere, Illinois · Belvidere LTD · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6096C · no longer on the register · serial 310R1263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ACFT DOOR POPPED OPEN AT A POINT TOO LATE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE PIC TRIED TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED WHILE THE SECOND PLT FLEW THE ACFT AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE DOOR OPENED WIDER AND THE PIC REACHED TO TRY TO CLOSE IT. THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT HITTING THE RWY WITH THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK AND PROPELLER. WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 220 DEGS AT 15 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 8,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,808 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mst Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 3,877 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from RFD, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6096C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.