Cessna 310 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, March 3, 1989
On March 3, 1989 at about 11:30 am local time, a Cessna 310, registered N5119C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1989 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N5119C · registry record · serial 310R1420
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON THE THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT, AFTER TWO GO-AROUNDS, THE ACFT LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE , DARK NIGHT, 500 FT CEILING, 1 1/2 MILES VIS AND LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE. THE PLT SAID THE CONTROL TOWER TURNED THE LIGHTS UP TO BRIGHT INTENSITY TO ASSIST HIM IN MAKING VISUAL CONTACT. THE PLT SAID THE BRIGHT LIGHTS CAUSED DISTORTION AND THE ILLUSION OF BEING LOWER THAN ACTUAL. THE ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED ICE ON THE AIRFRAME AND DEICING EQUIPMENT WAS BEING UTILIZED. THE PLT SAID HE USED HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPROACH SPEED BECAUSE OF THE ICE ACCUMULATION AND WEIGHT.
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: 3,041 hours in all; 1,585 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,753 as pilot in command; 179 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,735 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 2, 1989; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 10:30 am
- Destination: DSM Des Moines IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:43 am from DSM, 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.