Cessna 310C accident near Norton, Kansas, July 22, 1993
On July 22, 1993 at about 6:00 am local time, a Cessna 310C, registered N339R, was destroyed in an accident near Norton, Kansas (Norton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER, FOG, AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1993 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Norton, Kansas · Norton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310C · all 310Cs on the register
- Registration
- N339R · no longer on the register · serial 35777
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND 3 ACQUAINTENANCES TOOK OFF FOR A PLEASURE FLIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE BELOW APPROACH MINIMA. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED NEAR THE AIRPORT WITH INDICATIONS OF ENGINE POWER AND ELECTRICAL POWER AT IMPACT. SEVERAL OF THE GROUP HAD BEEN DRINKING BEER BEFORE GOING TO THE AIRPORT. NUMEROUS BEER CANS WERE FOUND IN AND ABOUT THE WRECKAGE. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL REPORT REMARKED 79 MG/DL (0.079%) ETHANOL IN THE BLOOD, 77 MG/DL IN VITREOUS FLUID, 89 MG/DL IN BILE, AND 110 MG/DL IN URINE.
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: 308 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,975 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Miller Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: NRN at 5:20 am
- Destination: NRN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,571 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 am from EAR, 55 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.