Cessna 310R accident near Madison, Indiana, December 24, 1988
On December 24, 1988 at about 11:34 am local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N5121J, was destroyed in an accident near Madison, Indiana. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DISREGARD OF IFR PROCEDURES IN DESCENDING BELOW THE MINIMUM DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE APPROACH TO A POINT WHERE COLLISION WITH TOWERS AND/OR WIRES BECAME POSSIBLE. HIS ABRUPT MANEUVER TO AVOID SUCH COLLISION RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN, FROM WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1988 · about 11:34 am local time
- Place
- Madison, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5121J · no longer on the register · serial 310R0241
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VOR/DME APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW THE DECISION HEIGHT ON A CIRCLING APPROACH. IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID COLLISION WITH HIGH TENSION TOWERS AND/OR WIRES, THE PILOT INITIATED AN ABRUPT PULL-UP, FOLLOWED BY A STALL/SPIN INTO THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,914 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 2,170 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,838 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 19, 1988; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hfg, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MSP St. Paul MN at 8:33 am
- Destination: IMS Madison IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from SDF, 36 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.