Cessna 310J accident near Ararat, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1995
On May 13, 1995 at about 11:17 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered CFSLE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ararat, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1995 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Ararat, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- CFSLE · no longer on the register · serial 0133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 30 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, AT 10,000 FT, THE TRANSPONDER WAS REPORTED INOPERATIVE BY ATC. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF COMM AND NAV EQUIPMENT. THE PILOT COULD NOT RESET EITHER GENERATOR, AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE READING LOW. HE STARTED A DESCENT WHILE STILL IN VMC CONDITIONS TO FIND AN AIRPORT. DURING THE DESCENT THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE READING LOWER. AT 4,000 FT THE MAIN FUEL GAUGES INDICATED EMPTY. THE PILOT'S HAND HELD GPS INDICATED AN AIRPORT WITHIN 6 MI, BUT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL EXHAUSTION AND DECIDED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE LANDING GEAR WAS CRANKED DOWN BY HAND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION REVEALED FUEL IN THE MAIN AND AUX FUEL TANKS. THE GENERATOR BELTS WERE TIGHT, AND THE WIRING WAS ATTACHED. CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RUNNING ON BATTERIES, 30 TO 40 MIN OF FLIGHT TIME AT NIGHT WOULD DISCHARGE THE BATTERIES AND CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. AFTER THE INITIAL DEPARTURE FROM NEWARK, THE PILOT HAD MADE AN IMMEDIATE RETURN AND LANDING TO REPLACE AN OIL CAP ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED ON THIS FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD 10 HRS IN THE CESSNA 310.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,962 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 15,660 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1994; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ at 10:30 pm
- Destination: CYKZ Toronto
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from AVP, 20 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.