Cessna 310R accident near Michigan City, Indiana, November 28, 1995
On November 28, 1995 at about 10:45 am local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N5CX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Michigan City, Indiana (Michigan City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's selecting and maintaining an improper approach speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 1995 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- Michigan City, Indiana · Michigan City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5CX · registry record · serial 0224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS PICKING UP OCCASIONAL LIGHT RIME ICE IN THE CLOUDS WHILE IN IMC CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4,000 FEET. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ANTI-ICE AND DEICING SYSTEMS. DURING DESCENT, THE PILOT REPORTED VFR CONDITIONS AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEAN OF ICE. THE PILOT PLANNED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY. ANTICIPATING THAT THE RUNWAY MAY BE SLICK, A SHORT FIELD APPROACH AND LANDING WAS EXECUTED. ON FINAL APPROACH, AND AT 85 KNOTS, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED 'A SUDDEN LOSS OF LIFT.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED RECEIVING NO VISUAL OR AURAL INDICATIONS OF AN IMPENDING STALL. THE CESSNA 310R PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK REFERENCES THE MINIMUM MULTI-ENGINE APPROACH SPEED FOR THE AIRPLANE TO BE 93 KIAS AT A GROSS WEIGHT OF 5,400 POUNDS. THIS SPEED DECREASES BY APPROXIMATELY FOUR KNOTS FOR EACH 400 POUND REDUCTION IN AIRPLANE GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRPLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,218 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,338 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command; 1,297 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,195 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 26, 1995; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIV Holland MI at 10:15 am
- Destination: MGC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.