Cessna T310R accident near Lubbock, Texas, December 4, 1984
On December 4, 1984 at about 6:57 pm local time, a Cessna T310R, registered N4864A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lubbock, Texas (International airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 4, 1984 · about 6:57 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310R · all T310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4864A · registry record · serial 310R1502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT ICING CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE ASR APCH. DEICING EQUIPMENT WAS UTILIZED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE APCH AND WORKED NORMALLY. THE ACFT BROKE OUT AT 400 FT AGL. ICE ACCUMULATION ON THE WINGS RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT CAUSING A HARD LANDING AND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE GROUND. THE ACFT COLLIDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A CONCRETE WALL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS FLYING THE ACFT FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT DEICED. THEREFORE, THE FORWARD VISIBILITY OF THE PLT WAS IMPAIRED BY AN ACCUMULATION OF ICE. THE LEFT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A RATED PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED TO BE A PASSENGER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,187 hours in all; 801 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 3,143 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDD Midland TX at 6:21 pm
- Destination: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from LBB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.