Cessna 310J accident near Delta, Utah, September 7, 1987
On September 7, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N3037L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delta, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 7, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Delta, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N3037L · no longer on the register · serial 31050037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED AFTER THE ACC THAT HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM ON THE CESSNA 310. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ARE ON THE WING TIPS AND THE AUX TANKS ARE IN THE WINGS. THE PLT THOUGHT THE OPPOSITE. THE PLT DEPARTED AND WAS BURNING FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANKS WHEN THE ENGS QUIT AT 13,000 FT. HE SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS AND DID NOT GET A RESTART AFTER 10 SECS. THE PLT SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAIN TANKS AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGS. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. EXAM OF ACFT REVEALED THE MAIN TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THE AUX TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. ACCORDING TO ENGINEERS AT THE CESSNA ACFT CO, THE AVG TIME NEEDED FOR FUEL TO FLOW TO THE ENG AFT THE SELECTOR VALVE HAS BEEN MOVED FM ONE FUEL TANK POSITION TO ANOTHER IS APPROX 15 SECONDS. THE PLT WAS AWARE THAT NONE OF THE FUEL GAGES WERE WORKING ON THE ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 333 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,074 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1987; 34 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: PVO Provo UT at 7:50 pm
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
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.