Casualties unknown

1984-11-06: Cessna 310C (N1703H) — Ocala, FL

Ocala, FL, US

On November 6, 1984, a Cessna 310C (registration N1703H) was involved in an aviation accident near Ocala, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Fuel exhaustion due to inadequate preflight planning by the pilot, who did not have permission to fly the aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft became airborne after hitting a dip in the runway, then lost power due to fuel exhaustion and struck a fence and hay bales.

What happened

The aircraft initiated its ground roll on the runway. Upon encountering a depression or dip in the pavement surface, the airframe lifted off the ground prematurely. Shortly after becoming airborne, both engines ceased producing power. The aircraft then impacted a nearby fence line and a series of hay bales.

The investigation

A post-crash examination of the wreckage revealed that there was negligible fuel remaining on board the aircraft at the time of the incident. This finding indicates that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion rather than mechanical failure.

Findings

The owner of the aircraft stated that the pilot, who was a prospective buyer of the aircraft, did not have permission to fly the aircraft at the time of the accident. The lack of authorization suggests unauthorized use of the property.

The critical factor leading to the loss of power was fuel exhaustion. With negligible fuel on board, the engines could not sustain operation once the aircraft became airborne and consumed the remaining supply.

Probable cause

Fuel exhaustion due to inadequate preflight planning by the pilot, who did not have permission to fly the aircraft.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X41624. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.