Cessna 310Q accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa, March 16, 1998
On March 16, 1998 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N1521T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa (Council Bluffs Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the landing. The dark night was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1998 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Council Bluffs, Iowa · Council Bluffs Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N1521T · no longer on the register · serial 310Q-0518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down in a snow bank on the right edge of the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid sideways coming to a stop on a easterly heading. The pilot was unable to lower the airplane's landing lights during the approach, but he reported the runway lights were on high intensity and the visibility was good.
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: 528 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 429 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBF North Platte NE
- Destination: CBF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 am from CBF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
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.