Cessna T310R accident near Urbana, Illinois, January 26, 1988
On January 26, 1988 at about 7:06 pm local time, a Cessna T310R, registered N5120J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Urbana, Illinois (Fra Sca Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- January 26, 1988 · about 7:06 pm local time
- Place
- Urbana, Illinois · Fra Sca Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310R · all T310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5120J · no longer on the register · serial 310R0240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED MANUALLY AND A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE. ON ROLL OUT THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 10 TURNS REMAINED ON THE MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION CRANK TO PLACE THE LANDING GEAR IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND TO ATTRIBUTE TO THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, OTHER THAN A LOW BATTERY CONDITION AS THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. POSITION OF THE BATTERY SWITCH AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT ALTERNATOR SWITCHES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED.
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: 1,752 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 587 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1987; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SER Seymour IN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SPI Springfield IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 2,550 ft by 29 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from CMI, 8 miles away
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.