Cessna 310N accident near Fullerton, California, April 21, 1986
On April 21, 1986 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Cessna 310N, registered N4162Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- April 21, 1986 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310N · all 310Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4162Q · registry record · serial 310N-0062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE RWY DURING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE PLT HAD FLOWN THE ACFT THE DAY PRIOR ON HIS BFR AND CONDUCTED A 'THOROUGH PREFLIGHT' INSP. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT AGAIN AND FLEW IT WITHOUT INCIDENT. HE THEN REFUELED THE ACFT AND LEFT IT UNATTENDED FOR APRX 90MINS. WHEN THE PLT RETURNED HE 'DID A VISUAL WALK AROUND' BEFORE ENTERING THE ACFT. DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, AT 95 MPH, HE HEARD 'EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE.' HE THEN STARTED TO ROTATE AND FELT A VIBRATION. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AND THE ACFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THE BRAKES FADDED THE LAST 100 FT OF TRAVEL. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED AND THE INSPECTION PANEL WAS FOUND HANGING FROM THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PANEL HAD 1 SCREW HOLDING IT IN PLACE AND 1 SCREW WAS IN THE NUT PLATE, BUT NOT THROUGH THE PANEL. THE OPERATORS MANUAL STATES TO MAKE AN EXTERIOR INSPECTION PRIOR TO STARTING THE ENGINES. THE ACCELERATE STOP DISTANCE WAS APRX 2,600 FT. RWY LENGTH AT THE ARPT IS 3,121 FT.
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
- Flight time: 1,565 hours in all; 382 in this make and model; 1,333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1985; 40 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: FUL Fullerton CA at 6:40 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:44 pm from FUL
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.