Cessna 310R accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts, July 15, 1990
On July 15, 1990 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N4855A, was destroyed in an accident near Hyannis, Massachusetts (Barnstable 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
A HARD LANDING DUE TO THE PILOT STALLING THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1990 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hyannis, Massachusetts · Barnstable
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4855A · no longer on the register · serial 310R1391
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS ON AN IFR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22, BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND LEVELED OFF AT 300 FEET. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, IT ENCOUNTERED A VIOLENT WIND GUST AND CAME DOWN HARD ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR.
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: 834 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,759 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1990; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWM Portland ME at 1:00 pm
- Destination: HYA Hyannis MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 5,430 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.