Cessna 310R accident near Burlington, Vermont, January 16, 1990
On January 16, 1990 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N5115J, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, Vermont (Burlington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DESCENT AND CRASHED IN A LAKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1990 · about 10:58 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Vermont · Burlington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5115J · no longer on the register · serial 310R0235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 310 DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AS IT WS BEING VECTORED TO AN ILS APPROACH AT NIGHT IN IMC CONDITIONS. SUBSEUQENTLY IT CRASHED IN LAKE CHAMPLAIN. THE LAST RECORDED ALTITUDE WAS 2100 FT, EXCEPT THE CONTROLLER SAW IT MOMENTARILY AT 1200 FEET PRIOR TO ITS DISAPPEARANCE. COMMUNICATIONS WERE NORMAL. A PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE WAS RECOVERED SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT; HOWEVER, AN EXAM OF THIS PORTION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL WHY THE ACDNT HAD OCCURRED.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1989; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKK Dunkirk NY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: BTV Burlington VT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 7,807 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BTV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.