Cessna 310Q accident near Tiro, Ohio, October 17, 1993
On October 17, 1993 at about 1:46 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N1972D, was destroyed in an accident near Tiro, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT THAT RESULTED IN THE STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE BEING EXCEEDED AND AIRFRAME FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1993 · about 1:46 pm local time
- Place
- Tiro, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N1972D · no longer on the register · serial 310Q0469
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS BETWEEN CLOUD LAYERS AT 7000' MSL IN LIGHT RAIN. SOON THEREAFTER, THE PLANE ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & THE ATC CONTROLLERS LOST RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PLANE. A WITNESS ON THE GROUND HEARD THE SOUND OF ENGINES AT HIGH RPM GETTING LOUDER AS THE PLANE GOT CLOSER. SHE SAID THE SOUND ENDED WHEN THE PLANE CRASHED. ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE PLANE DESCEND OUT OF CLOUDS & BREAK UP. AN EXAM REVEALED THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS & OUTBOARD WING SECTIONS SEPARATED DOWNWARD WITH OVERLOAD FAILURE. NO PREEXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. A MEDICAL EXAMINER AT THE ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE OF PATHOLOGY REVIEWED AUTOPSY/TOXICOLOGY INFORMATION & REPORTED THE PILOT HAD CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE & WAS AT RISK OF SUDDEN INCAPACITATION.
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: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1992; 148 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARB Ann Arbor MI at 1:05 pm
- Destination: AVL Ashville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MFD, 13 miles away
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.