Cessna T310Q accident near West Laurens, New York, June 3, 1999
On June 3, 1999 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna T310Q, registered N1273G, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Laurens, New York (Oneonta Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's impairment due to hypoxia, which resulted in reduced situational awareness and a power loss due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1999 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Laurens, New York · Oneonta Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310Q · all T310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N1273G · no longer on the register · serial 310Q1124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot purchased a turbocharged twin engine airplane, took it up for an acceptance flight, and the following day departed for home. According to ATC transcripts, about 2 hours into the flight to home, at 21,000 feet, the pilot was suffering from symptoms similar to hypoxia. He was not consistent in maintaining altitude, and failed to acknowledge all radio calls. About 3 hours, 50 minutes into the flight, while descending, the engines started to surge and subsequently lost power. The pilot landed in an open field. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuel tanks were empty except for unusable fuel. The pilot and a witness reported the airplane departed with full tanks. The pilot also reported he checked the oxygen system on both the acceptance flight and accident flight, and it was full. A check of the pilot's flight planning revealed sufficient fuel was available for the planned flight if the engine fuel mixtures were properly leaned. According to the AIM, hypoxia can impair judgement, memory, alertness, coordination and the ability to make calculations.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,660 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALO Waterloo IA at 5:49 pm
- Destination: 1B9 Mansfield MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from BGM, 40 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.