Cessna T310R accident near Dalhart, Texas, April 4, 1983
On April 4, 1983 at about 3:11 am local time, a Cessna T310R, registered N6831T, was destroyed in an accident near Dalhart, Texas (Dalhart Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- April 4, 1983 · about 3:11 am local time
- Place
- Dalhart, Texas · Dalhart Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310R · all T310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6831T · no longer on the register · serial 310R2115
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT WAS APPROACHING DALHART, TX, HE WAS IN RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH ALBUQUERQUE ARTCC (CENTER). APRX 15 MI FROM DELHART, THE PLT ASKED CENTER ABOUT THE WX OVER DALHART. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE FSS THERE WAS SHUT DOWN & NO CURRENT WX FOR DALHART WAS AVAILABLE. AS THE PLT CONTINUED, HE REPORTED SEEING A GLOW IN THE VICINITY OF DALHART & SAID THAT IT 'LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE GOT A FOG OR SOMETHING.' AT APPRX 2111 CST, THE CENTER ADVISED THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST & CLEARED THE FLT FROM CENTER FREQ. THE PLT REPLIED THAT HE 'WENT INTO A LITTLE CLOUD BANK, A LITTLE SHOWER, RIGHT HERE.' SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ACFT CRASHED APPRX 2 MI SOUTH OF THE APCH END OF RWY 35. IMPACT OCCURRED, LEFT WING 1ST WHILE ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. A WX STUDY INDICATED THERE WAS A LOW OVERCAST IN THE AREA, BUT THE HEIGHT WAS NOT DETERMINED. AREA FORECASTS & SIGMETS WARNED OF POSSIBLE TURBULENCE IN THE AREA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX
- Destination: DHT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 9,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from AMA, 70 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.