Cessna 310R accident near Kearny, New Jersey, January 11, 1999
On January 11, 1999 at about 8:48 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N87365, was destroyed in an accident near Kearny, New Jersey. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of elevator control for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 1999 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- Kearny, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N87365 · registry record · serial 310R0532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the airplane was climbing, the pilot reported that he did not have any elevator control. Radar data revealed that the airplane had momentarily leveled off at 1,000 feet, and then climbed to 2,000 feet prior to entering a descent. The airplane impacted a rail car in a railroad yard, in a steep nose down pitch attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed the elevator trim was in a full nose down position, and the elevators were in a trailing edge down position at impact. Examination of the elevator trim system revealed that the trailing edge of the elevator trim tab would move down for airplane nose-up trim and up for airplane nose-down trim. Further, if the elevator movement was restricted, the elevator trim tab would function as a small elevator, and move the airplane opposite of the direction desired by movement of the cockpit elevator trim wheel.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,402 hours in all; 366 in this make and model; 232 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 3,205 as pilot in command; 2,060 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,975 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 16, 1998; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-MB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 8:43 pm
- Destination: ACY Atlantic City NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from EWR, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.