Cessna 310Q accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 2, 1993
On May 2, 1993 at about 9:16 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N7656Q, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO INSURE THE AIRCRAFT CONTAINED ADEQUATE FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1993 · about 9:16 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N7656Q · no longer on the register · serial 310Q0277
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT THE LEFT ENGINE HAD QUIT AND THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD QUIT. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. THE PASSENGER SEATED IN THE RIGHT MIDDLE SEAT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE FOR THE LEFT FUEL TANK READ 'ZERO' AT THE TIME THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT, AND THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAUGE READ '10' AT THIS TIME. THE PASSENGER STATED THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE LEFT ENGINE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,150 as pilot in command; 170 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,625 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1993; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Locair, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MYNN Nassau OF at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:28 pm from FLL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.