Cessna 310L accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico, March 14, 1999
On March 14, 1999 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Cessna 310L, registered N2230F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico (Angel Fire airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceeding the airplane's weight and balance limitations. A factor was the high density altitude weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1999 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Angel Fire, New Mexico · Angel Fire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2230F · no longer on the register · serial 310L-0030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had the fuel tanks topped-off, and he embarked five passengers with their baggage. He departed on runway 35, and immediately raised the landing gear after liftoff. He felt the airplane 'settle a little,' and he put the landing gear back down. The airplane impacted a fence during the forced landing attempt. The airport's elevation was 8,382 feet msl, and the density altitude was 9,419 feet msl. The airplane's certified maximum gross takeoff weight was 5,200 pounds, and the calculated actual takeoff weight was estimated at 5,459 pounds.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,590 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 3,380 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXX at 7:55 pm
- Destination: F39 Sherman/Denison TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from SKX, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.