Cessna 310K accident near Carswell Afb, Texas, May 19, 1992
On May 19, 1992 at about 1:34 am local time, a Cessna 310K, registered N6980L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carswell Afb, Texas (Carswell Afb airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES FROM FUEL STARVATION AND THE IMPROPER SELECTOR POSITIONS OF FUEL TANKS BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1992 · about 1:34 am local time
- Place
- Carswell Afb, Texas · Carswell Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310K · all 310Ks on the register
- Registration
- N6980L · no longer on the register · serial 310K-0080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MULTIENGINE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDED FROM 9,500 FEET MSL TO 3,500 FEET MSL WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES AT 6,500 FEET. HE ELECTED TO TURN AND ATTEMPT A LANDING AT A MILITARY AIR FORCE BASE WHERE HE COULD SEE THE APPROACH LIGHTS. THE PILOT STATED BOTH ENGINES QUIT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT CAME BACK ON FOR 1/2 SECOND, THEN QUIT AGAIN. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FEATHER THE PROPELLERS THAT WERE REPORTEDLY ROTATING AT 2,000 RPM. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A HIGH SINK RATE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 STATUTE MILE. THE LANDING GEAR WERE LOWERED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 STATUTE MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE FLAPS WERE LOWERED NEAR THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA ASSEMBLY WITH THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, LOWER LEFT FUSELAGE, AND LEFT ELEVATOR. IT THEN IMPACTED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 525 FEET. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE ON THE AUXILIARY TANKS. THEY WERE EXAMINED AND FOUND DRY. EACH MAIN FUEL TANK CONTAINED 41 GALLONS. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE THROTTLES, MIXTURES, AND PROPELLER CONTROLS WERE POSITIONED FULL FORWARD.
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: 936 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 12 in the last 30 days; 602 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1991; 269 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAF Midland TX at 11:50 pm
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 12,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.