Cessna 310H accident near Questa, New Mexico, March 12, 1984
On March 12, 1984, a Cessna 310H, registered N1111Q, was destroyed in an accident near Questa, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1984
- Place
- Questa, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310H · all 310Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1111Q · no longer on the register · serial 310H0111
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN AT THE 12500 FT LEVEL.THE SUMMIT WAS ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE THE CRASH SITE. A FRIEND OF THE PLT WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE IIC FROM NTSB. THIS FRIEND WAS THE HOST OF THE 3 ACCIDENT VICTIMS FOR THE WEEKEND AT HIS GUNNISON RANCH. THE HOST, BECAUSE HE WAS A PLT ASKED THE GUEST PLT TO POSTPONE THE FLT. THE HOST WAS ASSURED THAT IFTHE WX CONDITIONS WERE NOT GOOD THE FLT WOULD RETURN TO THE RANCH. THE GUEST PLT WAS DESCRIBED BY THE HOST AS BEING 'THEBEST PASTURE PLT I EVER KNEW.' HE ALSO STATED THE PLT HATED TO USE THE RADIO, NEVER FILED A FLT PLAN AND WAS NOT VERSED IN OMNI. ONMI IS SLANG FOR VOR NAVIGATION OR VERY HIGH FREQUENCY OMNIDIRECTIONAL RADIO RANGE. THE PLT HAD BEEN ADVISED BY FSS SPECIALISTS THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED ALONG HIS PLANNED ROUTE BECAUSE OF ICING LEVELS & MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION. THE PLT CHOSE TO GO ANYWAY AND DEPARTED WITHOUT FILING A FLT PLAN.
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
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GUC Gunnison CO at 10:45 pm
- Destination: CXO Conroe TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.