Cessna 310J accident near Stockton, California, July 18, 1986
On July 18, 1986 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N3195L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockton, California (Stockton-Metro airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 18, 1986 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, California · Stockton-Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N3195L · no longer on the register · serial 310L0195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A C-31OJ WENT OUT OF CTL ON THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BANK. THE CFI INDICATED THAT THEY WERE PRACTICING SINGLE ENG PROCEDURES IN THE TFC PATTERN. AFTER TD ON A SINGLE ENG APCH THE CFI GAVE THE LEFT ENG BACK TO THE STUDENT AND ANNC GO-AROUND. INIT CLIMB WAS ESTAB. DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS MAINTAINED FOR 2 TO 3 SEC. AT 4 FT AGL, THE ACFT STARTED TO YAW AND ROLL LEFT. THE CFI STARTED TO REACH FOR THE FLT CONTROLS AND PWR LEVERS, BUT THE STUDENT HAD ALREADY REDUCED THE PWR. THE ACFT RIGHTED ITSELF AND TOUCHED DOWN WITH A HEADING 20 TO 30 DEG LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE ACFT DEP THE RWY CROSSED A TWY, AND THEN STRUCK A 4 FT DIRT BANK. ACCORDING TO THE FAA ATCT PSNL WHO WITNESSED THE ACDNT, THE ACFT DID NOT DO A CLOSED TFC PATTERN WITH A TGL PRIOR TO THE ACDNT. THE LCL CTLR STATED HE HAD CLEARED THE ACFT FOR TAKEOFF AND TO REMAIN IN RIGHT CLOSED TFC AFTER THE ACFT HAD TAXIED BACK FROM A FULL STOP LANDING. THIS STATEMENT WAS CONFIRMED BY THE ATCT TAPE AND IS DOCUMENTED BY TRANSCRIPT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,358 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 2,003 as pilot in command; 1,080 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1986; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 036 Tracy CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: SCK Stockton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 8,650 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from SCK
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.