Cessna 310L accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, February 5, 1995
On February 5, 1995 at about 5:01 pm local time, a Cessna 310L, registered N157JW, was destroyed in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
spatial disorientation of the pilot while descending into the clouds. Factors were the moderate turbulance and snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1995 · about 5:01 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N157JW · registry record · serial 310L-0146
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A NEW FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENT, WHILE DESCENDING INTO A CLOUD LAYER WITH REPORTED MODERATE TURBULENCE AND MODERATE RIME ICING, THE PILOT REPORTED 'I HAVE A LITTLE VACUUM FAILURE. I'M GONNA CLIMB OUTTA HERE.' EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AN AIRFRAME OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION. BOTH VACUUM PUMPS OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN BENCH TESTED AND INSPECTION OF ALL VACUUM SYSTEM COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE DRUMS ON THE VACUUM DRIVEN VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL GYROS, AND THE ELECTRIC TURN AND BANK GYRO, SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL ROTATIONAL SCORING.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 3:58 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from VPZ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.