Cessna 310L accident near Greeley, Colorado, January 23, 1993
On January 23, 1993 at about 2:55 pm local time, a Cessna 310L, registered N3303X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Weld County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO PROGRESS TO A POINT WHERE A SAFE FLIGHT REGIMEN COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. A FACTOR WAS: THE DUAL STUDENTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1993 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Weld County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3303X · registry record · serial 310L-0153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING PHASE, AFTER CONDUCTING A SIMULATED SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH, THE STUDENT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SEVERAL SNOW BANKS AND THEN BECAME AIRBORNE. CONTACT WITH THE SNOW BANKS CAUSED DAMAGE TO ALL THREE LANDING GEAR AND BOTH PROPELLERS. AFTER ORBITING FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AND FIFTY MINUTES, TO BURN OFF FUEL, AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT TIP TANK, NOSE SECTION, AND MAIN FUSELAGE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,980 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command; 1,575 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,133 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1992; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flat Iron Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 6,210 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.