Cessna 310I accident near Janesville, Wisconsin, November 2, 1998
On November 2, 1998 at about 2:01 am local time, a Cessna 310I, registered N8069M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Janesville, Wisconsin (Rock County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection in which he failed to remove the tow bar from the nose gear. Also causal was his misjudgment of distance and altitude from the runway which resulted in both his premature shutdown of the engines and an undershoot of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1998 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Janesville, Wisconsin · Rock County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310I · all 310Is on the register
- Registration
- N8069M · no longer on the register · serial 310I-0069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A preflight inspection was conducted in the hangar. The airplane was then pulled from the hangar by use of a tow bar. The pilot and two passengers boarded the airplane and departed on a local flight. During the landing gear retraction a loud bang was heard. Attempts to extend the gear were unsuccessful and an emergency landing was initiated. During the final approach the engines were shut down. When it was obvious that the airplane would touch down short of the runway an attempt to regain power was initiated; however, restoration of power was not sufficient to avoid impact with the terrain 750 feet short of the runway. An examination subsequent to the accident found the tow bar adjacent to the airplane in the field.
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: 433 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 1998; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JVL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:07 am from JVL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.