Cessna 310 accident near Near Horseshoe, Florida, June 21, 1982
On June 21, 1982 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 310, registered N5193C, was destroyed in an accident near Near Horseshoe, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 21, 1982 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Near Horseshoe, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N5193C · registry record · serial 310R1513
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING AN OVER WATER FLIGHT, HE NOTICED THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL FLOW WAS FLUCTUATING WHILE THE ENGINE WAS CUTTING IN AND OUT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY INTENSE WHITE SMOKE WHICH WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE LOUVERS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE COWLING. THE PILOT SAW A FISHING BOAT IN THE VICINITY AND ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT NEAR THE VESSEL. AFTER DITCHING, THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN DEEP WATER AND THE PILOT WAS RESCUED BY THE CREW OF THE FISHING BOAT. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ENGINE FIRE DETECTION OR PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,188 hours in all; 1,420 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 6,918 as pilot in command; 2,570 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 899 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jim Ratliff Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: Clearwater FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Columbus MS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.