Cessna 310B and Cessna 152 accident near Ruston, Louisiana, July 17, 1988
On July 17, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 310B (N295C) and Cessna 152 (N93294), were involved in the same accident near Ruston, Louisiana (Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 17, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ruston, Louisiana · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 310B · all 310Bs on the register
- Registration
- N295C · no longer on the register · serial 35679
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N93294 · no longer on the register · serial 15285461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310B final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH AIRPLANES WERE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE CESSNA 152 MADE RADIO CALLS IN THE BLIND; THE CESSNA 310 DID NOT. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ON FINAL AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE 152 IN THE LEAD AND THE 310 LOWER. THE 310 PASSED THE 152 JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. THE 310 WAS ON THE GROUND AS THE 152 ROUNDED OUT RIGHT BEHIND IT. THE PILOTS IN THE 152 THEN SAW THE 310, ADDED FULL POWER, AND PULLED UP. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE 152 STRUCK THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE 310. THE 310 STOPPED AND THE 152 LANDED IN FRONT OF THE 310 ON THE SAME RWY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 152 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH AIRPLANES WERE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE CESSNA 152 MADE RADIO CALLS IN THE BLIND; THE CESSNA 310 DID NOT. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE ON FINAL AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE 152 IN THE LEAD AND THE 310 LOWER. THE 310 PASSED THE 152 JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. THE 310 WAS ON THE GROUND AS THE 152 ROUNDED OUT RIGHT BEHIND IT. THE PILOTS IN THE 152 THEN SAW THE 310, ADDED FULL POWER, AND PULLED UP. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF THE 152 STRUCK THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE 310. THE 310 STOPPED AND THE 152 LANDED IN FRONT OF THE 310 ON THE SAME RWY.
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 for the Cessna 310B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 378 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 378 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L33 St. Joseph LA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 215° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 152 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: 1,141 hours in all; 341 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 938 as pilot in command; 405 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1988; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Louisiana Tech University
The flight
- Departed from: RSN at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 90 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.