Cessna 310 accident near Butler, Pennsylvania, January 15, 1982
On January 15, 1982 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 310, registered N4875B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butler, Pennsylvania (Butler Roe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1982 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Pennsylvania · Butler Roe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N4875B · no longer on the register · serial 35175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION AT DUSK. HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AT PATTERN ALTITUDE TO CHECK THE WIND AND RUNWAY CONDITION. HE NOTED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH SNOW. A LONG APPROACH WAS MADE TO RUNWAY 36 IN A CALM WIND CONDITION. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT HEARD A "THUMP" AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED A PERIMETER ROAD THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY. THE "THUMP" OCCURRED WHEN THE PLANE STRUCK AN AUTOMOBILE. THE PILOT CONTINUED AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR, LEFT WING, AND LEFT PROPELLER, THE AUTOMOBILE'S ROOF, WINDSHIELD, AND A FENDER WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS' OF THE AIRCRAFT OR AUTOMOBILE.
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: 1,094 hours in all; 452 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 559 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ft. Pierce FL at 9:00 am
- Destination: Butler PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 38 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
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.