Cessna 310 accident near Sidney, Montana, December 6, 2001
On December 6, 2001 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Cessna 310, registered N5043J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Montana (Sidney-Richland Muni airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper abort procedure and inadequate remedial action, leading to a loss of directional control after losing power in one engine during the takeoff roll. Factors include the loss of power from one engine, and a fence around the perimeter of the airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2001 · about 10:25 pm local time · cases in 2001
- Place
- Sidney, Montana · Sidney-Richland Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N5043J · registry record · serial 310R0163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, with the nose wheel elevated and both main wheels still on the runway surface, the aircraft experienced a complete loss of power on the right engine. As the pilot initiated the abort sequence, instead of pulling both throttles to the full idle position, he "...retarded the left power lever partially." This action did not sufficiently alleviate the asymmetrical thrust in time for the pilot to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway, and it subsequently departed the right side of the runway surface. As it left the runway at a 30 degree angle and entered terrain partially covered by snow, the pilot noticed the aircraft was heading toward a fence on the airport perimeter. Instead of executing the published abort procedure, he pushed the left power lever back up to the full power position. According to the pilot, he did this in order to store what energy he still had, so that he could raise the nose of the aircraft prior to hitting the fence, "...thereby impacting the fence with the bottom of the aircraft." Post accident measurements determined that the aircraft had traveled 425 feet from where it entered the runway to where it departed the side of the runway surface. It traveled another 670 feet prior to impacting the fence. After breaking off six of the fence support poles, and bending four others over, it traveled another 196 feet before coming to a stop. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft and its systems did not reveal any malfunctions or anomalies that would have contributed to a loss of engine power.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,950 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,957 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 2001; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDY Sidney MT at 10:25 pm
- Destination: HLN Helena MT
- Runway 19, 5,705 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5043J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 310 1,410 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,683 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M 2 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sidney-Richland Regional · nearest airport
- Helena Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,119 since 1982 · 164 in the last ten years
- Montana 6,044 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA02LA019.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.