Cessna 310Q accident near Spring Branch, Texas, January 20, 2000
On January 20, 2000 at about 6:26 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N310GG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Branch, Texas (Kestrel Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff. A factor was the open cabin door.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2000 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Spring Branch, Texas · Kestrel Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N310GG · registry record · serial 310Q0938
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, at 82 knots, the cabin door opened. He attempted to close the door, but was unsuccessful, and then elected to abort the takeoff with approximately 200 yards of runway remaining. The airplane skidded off of the departure end of the runway, and the nose gear collapsed as the airplane impacted a ditch.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,511 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,563 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1999; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1T7 at 5:00 pm
- Destination: HRL Harlingen TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,050 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 14 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:38 pm from SAT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.