Cessna 310J accident near Broomfield, Colorado, June 5, 1993
On June 5, 1993 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N3005L, was destroyed in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jeffco airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FRICTION OF ESCAPING OXYGEN UNDER HIGH PRESSURE IGNITING A LUBRICANT IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL AREA, AND IMPROPER AIRCRAFT SERVICING BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1993 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jeffco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N3005L · no longer on the register · serial 310J0005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND INSTRUCTOR-TRAINEE WERE SITTING IN THE COCKPIT DISCUSSING THE LESSON PLAN. THEY SAW FIRE AROUND THE GLARESHIELD AND WINDSHIELD. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TRACED THE FIRE PATTERN BACK TO THE NOSEWHEEL WELL AND THE OXYGEN SYSTEM BOTTLE. IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE REGULATOR HAD BEEN LEAKING AND THE ON-OFF CONTROL CABLE WAS BINDING. THE LEAK WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN FIXED. A MECHANIC SAID HE LUBRICATED THE COCKPIT END OF THE REGULATOR CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER SAID THE MECHANIC USED AN AEROSOL CAN TO LUBRICATE SOMETHING IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ARSON SQUAD, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS 'FRICTION OF ESCAPING OXYGEN IGNITING LUBRICANT ON CABLE.'
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,340 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 2,640 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 pm from BJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.