Cessna 310G accident near Pequannock, New Jersey, January 22, 1984
On January 22, 1984 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 310G, registered N8969Z, was destroyed in an accident near Pequannock, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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 22, 1984 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Pequannock, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310G · all 310Gs on the register
- Registration
- N8969Z · no longer on the register · serial 310G-0069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN FBO MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE PLT HAD REQUESTED A JUMPSTART. THE WX WAS COLD (20 DEG) & THE INITIAL ATTEMPTED ENG START WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER BEING PREHEATED, BOTH ENGS WERE STARTED. NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS NOTED DURING TAXI, RUN-UP & THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HOWEVER, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, BLACK SMOKE WAS OBSERVED TRAILING FROM THE LEFT ENG. AT APRX 600 FTAGL, THE SMOKE STOPPED & THE ACFT ENTERED A SHALLOW LEFT TURN & STARTED TO LOOSE ALT. THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & SAID HE 'LOST' HIS LEFT ENG. SUBLSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL, ENTER AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT & CRASH. WITNESSES HEARD THE SOUND OF ENG POWER, BUT COULD NOT TELL WHETHER IT WAS FROM 1 OR 2 ENGS. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED, THE FLAPS WERE UP & BOTH PROPS WERE AT A LOW PITCH (UNFEATHERED) SETTING. THE LEFT PROP BLADES HAD LITTLE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. A TEST OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED: COCAINE 0.25 MG/L, BENZOYLECGONINE 3.78 MG/L, MORPHINE 0.32 MG/L, CODEINE 0.07 MG/L & CO2 9.2 TO 18%. THE PLT WAS A HVY SMOKER.
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: 817 hours in all; 406 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 663 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,234 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N07 Lincoln Park NJ at 6:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from CDW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.