Cessna 310K accident near Andrews, Texas, February 15, 1983
On February 15, 1983 at about 4:10 am local time, a Cessna 310K, registered N6916L, was destroyed in an accident near Andrews, Texas (Andrews County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- February 15, 1983 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Andrews, Texas · Andrews County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310K · all 310Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6916L · no longer on the register · serial 310K0016
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR A FLT TO MILAND, TX. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, HE MADE 2 OR 3 TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE LAST TOUCH-AND-GO, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT PULL UP ABRUPTLY, ENTER A STEEP RIGHT BANK, THEN CRASH & BURN. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. BOTH PROP BLADES HAD EVIDENCE OF HIGH ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB WAS FOUND DEFECTED 15 DEG DOWNWARD (NOSE UP TRIM). THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR WAS FOUND EXTENDED 1.1 INCHES. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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; single-engine land
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,814 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1982; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 20 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 am from MAF
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.