Cessna 310-D accident near Lantana, Florida, January 4, 1987
On January 4, 1987 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 310-D, registered N656R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Lantana 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 4, 1987 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Lantana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310-D · all 310-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N656R · no longer on the register · serial 39099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FLYING IN MARGINAL WEATHER REQUESTED RADAR ASSISTANCE IN LANDING AT HIS DESTINATION. HE WAS GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR TO A POSITION ON DOWNWIND AND SAW AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT UNDER HIM. HE LANDED ON A CLOSED RUNWAY THAT WAS MARKED CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. DURING THE LANDING HE STRUCK A DITCH ACROSS THE RUNWAY AND THE PLYWOOD AND SANDBAG MARKINGS CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: 16,700 hours in all; 455 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1986; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,730 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYGF Freeport WI at 6:10 pm
- Destination: PBI W.Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 3,489 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 24 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:14 pm from PBI, 8 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.