Cessna 310L accident near Virgil, New York, September 28, 2002
On September 28, 2002, a Cessna 310L, registered N2276F, was destroyed in an accident near Virgil, New York (Cortland County Chase airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue the flight into IMC after canceling his IFR clearance, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Factors in the accident were rain, low ceilings, and night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2002
- Place
- Virgil, New York · Cortland County Chase · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2276F · no longer on the register · serial 310L0076
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cleared for an instrument approach. When the airplane was approximately 13 miles south of the airport, the pilot requested that the controller advise him when the airplane was over the final approach fix. The controller responded he would be unable due to the lack of radar coverage in the area, so the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance. About 4.5 minutes later, the airplane was seen flying about 80 feet agl, with both engines running. About 30 seconds after that, the airplane impacted trees. The ceiling at the time of the accident was approximately 500 feet, the visibility was approximately 0.75 mile in rain, and night prevailed. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions with either the engine or airframe.
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: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: IMT Kingsford MI at 9:36 pm
- Destination: N03 Cortland NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 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.