Cessna 310Q accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, March 26, 1994
On March 26, 1994 at about 4:49 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N69978, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach International airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADVERTENT LANDING WITH THE BRAKES ON, RESULTING IN A BOUNCED LANDING AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AFTER A BOUNCED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND LANDING HARD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1994 · about 4:49 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N69978 · no longer on the register · serial 310Q1051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT WING DROPPED AFTER TOUCHDOWN DUE TO A FLAT LEFT MAIN TIRE. HE ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE WING AT WHICH TIME THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED UP AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE LEFT MAIN TIRE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LARGE FLAT SPOT ON IT. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING SMOKE COME FROM THE LEFT MAIN TIRE AT TOUCHDOWN.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 870 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,806 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 5, 1994; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRE N. Myrtle Beach SC at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,930 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from PBI, 1 miles away
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.