Cessna 310R accident near Blain, Pennsylvania, September 3, 1994
On September 3, 1994 at about 5:10 am local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N502SB, was destroyed in an accident near Blain, Pennsylvania. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS, FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO FATIGUE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1994 · about 5:10 am local time
- Place
- Blain, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N502SB · registry record · serial 310R0244
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A CRUISE DESCENT FROM 9000 TO 7000 FEET AT NIGHT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WHEN, ACCORDING TO RECORDED RADAR DATA, THE ALTITUDE INCREASED 200 FEET AND THEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 7800 FEET. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP DESCENT AND HEARD A LOUD WHINE. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED INFLIGHT AIRFRAME SEPARATION. DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1500 FT WITH THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS AND ELEVATORS FOUND NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE WRECKAGE PATH, FOLLOWED BY THE FUSELAGE, AND ENDING WITH THE ENGINES AND PROPELLERS. THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD FAILED DOWN AND AFT. THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD OF THE LEFT ENGINE HAD FAILED DOWN AND WAS FOUND 600 FT LEFT OF THE DEBRIS TRAIL. WRINKLES IN TWO DIRECTIONS AND POPPED RIVETS WERE FOUND ON BOTH WINGS. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED 0.002 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (MARIJUANA) AND 0.011 UG/ML TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED 0.305 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID. THE PILOT HAD WORKED A FULL-TIME CONSTRUCTION JOB DURING THE DAY, AND HE HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR ABOUT 19 HOURS.
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: 1,897 hours in all; 1,486 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 1,817 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1993; 1,231 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AGC West Mifflin PA at 4:34 am
- Destination: PTW Pottstown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:43 am from CXY, 31 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.