Cessna 310J accident near Ocala, Florida, April 10, 1994
On April 10, 1994 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N310JF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida (Ocala Regional/Jim Taylor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE THE GENERATORS WERE ENGAGED BEFORE FLIGHT (FAILED TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1994 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala Regional/Jim Taylor
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N310JF · registry record · serial 310J0063
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ENGINE START, THE PILOT FAILED TO TURN ON THE GENERATORS. IN FLIGHT, BATTERY POWER WAS DEPLETED, AND THE PILOT MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET IT FULLY EXTENDED. ON THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIRPLANE WAS PLACED ON JACKS. USING THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND LANDING GEAR MOTOR, THE LANDING GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,286 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,161 as pilot in command; 529 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1994; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0A6 Gastonia NC at 12:30 pm
- Destination: OCF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,906 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from OCF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.