Cessna 310F accident near Vichy, Missouri, February 7, 1983
On February 7, 1983 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 310F, registered N202JM, was destroyed in an accident near Vichy, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- February 7, 1983 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Vichy, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310F · all 310Fs on the register
- Registration
- N202JM · no longer on the register · serial 310-0132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 500 FT AGL, THE LEFT PROP FEATHERED BY ITSELF, THEN THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT & HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO ROLLA, MO & LAND AT THE NATIONAL ARPT WHICH HAD A LONGER RWY. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE RADIOED THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT, THEN REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS SMOKING. FSS PERSONNEL SAW SMOKE FROM THE ACFT & STARTED THE FIRE/RESCUE PROCEDURE. AFTER THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER, THE ACFT STRUCK TREES, CRASHED & BURNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN FUELED WITH UNLEADED 87 OCTANE AUTO FUEL. THE OWNER HAD OBTAINED 500 GAL OF UNLEADED AUTO FUEL ON 11/11/82. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED EROSION OF THE #1, #5 & #6 PISTON CROWNS, BLACK OIL WITH ALUMINUM FRAGMENTS & SILICONE RUBBER GASKET CEMENT, AND OVER HEATING OF THE #4 & #5 MAIN BEARINGS. THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD DETONATION DAMAGE ON THE #3 PISTON, FLAME PATH THRU THE #4 CYLINDER (UNDER THE EXHAUST VALVE), MELTED ALUMINUM ON THE VALVE HEADS & PISTON CROWNS, 2 BRKN RINGS, OTR DISCREPANCIES.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,455 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: K33 Salem MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from VIH, 6 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.