Cessna 310N accident near Rockford, Illinois, August 20, 1993
On August 20, 1993 at about 3:09 am local time, a Cessna 310N, registered N5005Q, was destroyed in an accident near Rockford, Illinois. It was a personal 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
an arcing electrical relay (solenoid) and subsequent overheating/fire of the starter wiring and adjacent fuel lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1993 · about 3:09 am local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310N · all 310Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5005Q · no longer on the register · serial 310N-0105
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed Rockford Regional Airport on an IFR flight plan. Three minutes after takeoff departure control lost contact with the airplane. Witnesses about 4 miles southeast of the airport saw the airplane turn back toward the airport, and then descend sharply into the ground. One witness reported he saw the airplane on fire before ground impact. The investigation revealed that the right engine starter wire had all the insulation burned off of it, and the starter had overheated significantly. The right engine starter solenoid had evidence of severe arcing. The starter cable runs from the starter solenoid which is in the left engine nacelle to the starter on the right side. The cable is routed along the front wing spar fuselage carry-through alongside the crossfeed fuel lines for both engines. The front spar carry through was completely missing, and the most intense area of the fire was in the cockpit area.
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: 800 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,553 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 1993; 112 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jcr Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Destination: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from RFD, 4 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.