Cessna 310D accident near Sutton, West Virginia, June 30, 2006
On June 30, 2006 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 310D, registered N6867T, was destroyed in an accident near Sutton, West Virginia (Braxton County Airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during takeoff-initial climb to avoid a stall/mush. A factor associated with the accident was the inadvertent stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2006 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sutton, West Virginia · Braxton County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310D · all 310Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6867T · no longer on the register · serial 39167
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After performing a preflight inspection of the airplane and taxiing to the end of the 4,000-foot long runway, the pilot began the takeoff roll. According to witnesses, before reaching the mid-point of the runway the airplane became airborne in a "tail low" pitch attitude. Shortly thereafter, the airplane banked and drifted left, over the grass, and then it banked and drifted right, but did not drift far enough to be back over the runway pavement. The airplane then began to "wobble" laterally, and "mush" or "stall" as it climbed out. The airplane subsequently struck trees located about 450 feet from the departure end of the runway in an approximate 30-degree left bank. The trees were 250 feet left of the runway centerline and 70 feet above the airport elevation. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,798 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,012 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 48I Sutton WV at 2:30 pm
- Destination: PVG Norforlk VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 pm from W22
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.