Cessna 310 accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 4, 1989
On March 4, 1989, a Cessna 310, registered N98934, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Cedar Rapids 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WAS NOT ATTAINED BY THE PILOT AND THE CRANKSHAFT FAILURE ON ONE ENGINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE APPROACH LIGHTS WHICH WERE CONTACTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1989
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Cedar Rapids
- 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
- N98934 · no longer on the register · serial 310R0654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES INTO A PERSONAL IFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND LOSE POWER. HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN, CONTACTED DES MOINES APPROACH FOR VECTORS TO THE ARPT. THE DSM WEATHER WAS BELOW MINIMUM SO VECTORS WERE GIVEN TO THE CEDAR RAPIDS ARPT. DURING THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 9 AN AREA OF HEAVY RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING THE APPROACH LIGHTS AND SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE ACFT. POST ACCIDENT LEFT ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED A BROKE CRANKSHAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,466 hours in all; 1,271 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OMA Omaha NE
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.