Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 and Cessna 310 accident near Columbus, Ohio, October 29, 1990
On October 29, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 (N972VJ) and Cessna 310 (N6160X), were involved in the same accident near Columbus, Ohio (Port Columbus airport). No one was hurt; 49 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DC-9 PILOTS FAILED TO SEE THE CESSNA 310 AND ALTER THEIR TAXI PATH TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE.
FAILURE BY PILOTS OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT TO SEE AND ALTER TAXI PATH TO AVOID THE STANDING AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Port Columbus
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 49 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N972VJ · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N6160X · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE DC-9 APPROACHED TAXIWAY C-4 THE CAPTAIN WAS ADVISED BY THE FIRST OFFICER THERE WAS A AIRPLANE OFF TO THEIR ELEVEN O'CLOCK POSITION. THE CAPTAIN APPLIED BRAKES, BUT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE HITTING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF A CESSNA 310. THE DC-9 CAPTAIN SAID HE DID NOT SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE CESSNA. THE CESSNA PILOT SAID HE WAS SITTING IN POSITION TO TAKE THE RUNWAY FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET FROM THE HOLD LINE WITH HIS ROTATING BEACON AND NAVIGATION LIGHTS ON. THE FAA DETERMINED THE DISTANCE FROM THE HOLD LINE ON TAXIWAY C-4 TO THE CENTER LINE OF THE TAXIWAY WAS 90'. HALF THE WIDTH OF THE DC-9 AND THE LENGTH OF THE CESSNA, PLUS THE 3 FEET FROM THE HOLD LINE (CESSNA'S POSITION), LEFT LITTLE ROOM FOR SEPARATION OF THE AIRPLANES.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 310 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE DC-9 APPROACHED TAXIWAY C-4 THE CAPTAIN WAS ADVISED BY THE FIRST OFFICER THERE WAS A AIRPLANE OFF TO THEIR ELEVEN O'CLOCK POSITION. THE CAPTAIN APPLIED BRAKES, BUT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE HITTING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF A CESSNA 310. THE DC-9 CAPTAIN SAID HE DID NOT SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE CESSNA. THE CESSNA PILOT SAID HE WAS SITTING IN POSITION TO TAKE THE RUNWAY FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET FROM THE HOLD LINE WITH HIS ROTATING BEACON AND NAVIGATION LIGHTS ON. THE FAA DETERMINED THE DISTANCE FROM THE HOLD LINE ON TAXIWAY C-4 TO THE CENTER LINE OF THE TAXIWAY WAS 90'. HALF THE WIDTH OF THE DC-9 AND THE LENGTH OF THE CESSNA, PLUS THE 3 FEET FROM THE HOLD LINE (CESSNA'S POSITION), LEFT LITTLE ROOM FOR SEPARATION OF THE AIRPLANES.
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 for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 105,000 lb
- Seats: 110
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7A (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EWR Newark NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10R
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from CMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 42 |
The factual record for the Cessna 310 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Flight time: 2,091 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,535 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: New Creation INC
The flight
- Departed from: CMH
- Destination: DAY Dayton OH
- Runway 10R
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.