Cessna 310D accident near Minden, Nevada, September 30, 1992
On September 30, 1992 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310D, registered N6755T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Nevada. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S AND MECHANIC'S INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION BY NOT RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AFTER EXPERIENCING THE INITIAL ENGINE LOSS OF POWER ON TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION, THE HIGH VEGETATION, AND THE ROAD SIGN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1992 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310D · all 310Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6755T · no longer on the register · serial 39055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN OR THE ENGINES RUN IN TWELVE YEARS. BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT AND AN A&P MECHANIC INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT AND THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE RIGHT ENGINE AND MANAGED TO KEEP THE LEFT ENGINE RUNNING BY ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE. WHILE ON DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 16 AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 34. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 34 THE PILOT OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT LANDING ON THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AT THIS TIME BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THE PILOT LANDED IN A SCRUB BRUSH COVERED, OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED A ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH A ROAD MARKER. THE EXAMINATION OF BOTH ENGINES REVEALED THAT BOTH ENGINES' FUEL CONTROL SERVO AND MAIN FUEL SYSTEM SCREENS WERE DIRTY AND PARTIALLY PLUGGED. THE LEFT ENGINE DISTRIBUTOR VALVE PISTON WAS SEIZED AND CONTAINED REMNANTS OF THE FUEL TANKS BLADDER.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rebuilt Aircraft & Salvage
The flight
- Departed from: 0 Carson City NV at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.