Cessna 310R accident near Hartford, Connecticut, November 30, 1997
On November 30, 1997 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N2641F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartford, Connecticut (Hartford-Brainard 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to land on the departure end of the runway and not perform a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 1997 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hartford, Connecticut · Hartford-Brainard Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2641F · registry record · serial 310R1803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a non-precision instrument approach when he executed a missed approach. On the second approach, the airplane was observed to descend out of the clouds near midfield and touchdown near the end of the 4,418 feet long runway. After touchdown, the airplane continued off the departure end of the runway and came to rest at the base of a dike.
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: 1,026 hours in all; 616 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,142 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1997; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-MB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILM Wilmington NC at 7:00 pm
- Destination: HFD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 4,418 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HFD
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.