Cessna 310G accident near Palm City, Florida, May 6, 1985
On May 6, 1985 at about 11:29 pm local time, a Cessna 310G, registered N2903R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm City, Florida (Naked Lady Ranch 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
- May 6, 1985 · about 11:29 pm local time
- Place
- Palm City, Florida · Naked Lady Ranch
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310G · all 310Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2903R · no longer on the register · serial 310G0103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE LEFT ENG LOST POWER. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT, SO HE REDUCED POWER ON THE RIGHT ENG & SUBSEQUENTLY MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN THE ACFT SLID INTO A TREE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 8 MONTHS & HAD RECENTLY FLOWN FOR ONLY ABOUT 2 HRS. A POST CRASH EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION & A TEST RUN OF THE ENG SHOWED NO SIGNS OF A FAILURE. THE PASSENGER STATED THE LEFT FUEL FLOW METER STARTED FLUCTUATING AT THE SAME TIME THE ENG LOST P0WER, THEN THE FUEL FLOW INDICATION DROPPED TO ZERO.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 1,625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,185 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 1, 1985; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FXE Ft.Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,640 ft by 170 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from VRB, 31 miles away
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.