Cessna 310N accident near Old Forge, Pennsylvania, January 6, 2000
On January 6, 2000 at about 10:34 pm local time, a Cessna 310N, registered N70CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Old Forge, Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Both pilots' failure to adequately manage the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2000 · about 10:34 pm local time
- Place
- Old Forge, Pennsylvania · Wilkes-Barre/Scranton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310N · all 310Ns on the register
- Registration
- N70CM · registry record · serial 310N-0126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Several witnesses saw the airplane before impact, and heard engine noise oscillating between no power and high power. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the two main fuel tanks were ruptured and charred, but the two auxiliary fuel tanks were not compromised, and appeared absent of fuel. Only drops of fuel were found in the mechanical fuel pumps, fuel lines from the pumps to the mixture controls, and the fuel lines from the mixture controls to the injection manifolds. Examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers, did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Review of the fueling records revealed that all four tanks were completely fueled about 1 month prior to the accident. The airplane was operated several times after that fueling, and fuel was added to the main fuel tanks on four occasions before the accident. However, fuel was never added to the auxiliary fuel tanks. Although both auxiliary fuel tanks appeared absent of fuel at the accident site, the investigative team was unable to confirm the fuel selector positions prior to impact. The flight instructor had about 50 hours of flight experience in the make and model accident airplane, and the pilot/owner had about 100 hours of flight experience in the accident airplane.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,830 as pilot in command; 223 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1999; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Tech Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AVP Wilkes-Barre PA at 10:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from AVP, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.