History of Flight
On May 5, 2016, about 1331 central daylight time, a Cessna 310F twin-engine airplane, N6770X, impacted terrain following a loss of control during approach for landing at North Little Rock Municipal Airport (ORK) in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The designated pilot examiner was fatally injured, and the commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed by postimpact fire. The flight was a local instructional flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, with day visual meteorological conditions prevailing. No flight plan was filed.
The accident occurred during an airline transport pilot checkride administered by an FAA designated pilot examiner. The pilot had successfully completed the oral examination. During the preflight inspection, no anomalies were identified. Both engines started uneventfully, with the examiner using a fuel crossfeed procedure to start the right engine. The pilot repositioned the fuel selectors to normal configuration after start and verified their positions.
After takeoff from runway 5, during initial climb at about 700 ft mean sea level, the pilot noted a change in engine sound and the airplane yawed left. The left engine experienced a partial loss of power to 2,200 rpm. The pilot applied rudder and aileron inputs and the airplane continued climbing to 800 ft msl. They agreed to make left turns in the traffic pattern. During the downwind leg, the left engine lost additional power, and the pilot decided to shut it down and feather the propeller. He moved the throttle to idle and propeller control full-aft but did not recall moving the mixture to cutoff. The propeller likely did not feather, as full right rudder and aileron were still needed. During a left turn toward the airport, airspeed decreased, and the airplane collided with terrain in a 45° left bank and slight nose-down attitude.
Radar data showed the airplane at 800 ft msl after departure, not climbing above that altitude. It turned left to a southwest heading, and the final radar return was about 0.28 miles northeast of the runway 17 displaced threshold. Airspeed decreased from 98-111 mph during the upwind leg to as low as 89 mph in the final seconds.
A witness observed the airplane climb to about 500 ft agl then descend in a nose-up attitude, enter a steep left bank, then shallow left turn. The witness lost sight behind a hangar but later reacquired the airplane flying slowly in a shallow left turn. A photograph captured at 1330:59 showed a 45° left-wing-down bank and slight nose-low attitude at treetop level.
Surveillance video partially captured the impact sequence. At 1331:00.35, the airplane appeared, partially obscured. A fire/explosion emerged at 1331:00.54, lasting about 2.6 seconds. The left engine separated and tumbled away. Ground fire along the debris path was observed.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 30, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument ratings, and was type-rated for Mitsubishi MU-300 and Hawker 400 jets. He had 950 total flight hours, 612 multi-engine, and 4 hours in Cessna 310F airplanes. He was a captain in the Air National Guard flying Lockheed C-130 aircraft.
The pilot examiner, aged 56, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land rating and commercial privileges for single-engine land and sea. He was type-rated for several business jets and held a flight instructor certificate. He had 12,214 total flight hours, with 7,918.3 multi-engine hours and 20.2 hours in the accident airplane make/model. He had been an FAA designated pilot examiner since 1995.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 310-0070, was a 1961 Cessna 310F low-wing monoplane with two 260-horsepower Continental IO-470-D engines and Hartzell two-blade constant-speed propellers. It had a maximum takeoff weight of 4,830 pounds and fuel capacity of 100 gallons. The most recent annual and 100-hour inspections were completed on May 1, 2016, at 6,035.3 total airframe hours. No unresolved airworthiness issues were found in maintenance records.
Meteorological Information
Weather at the nearest reporting station, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), about 7.7 miles south-southeast, reported at 1253: wind from 320° at 13 knots gusting 19 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 24°C, dew point 5°C, altimeter 30.01 inches Hg. At 1353: wind from 340° at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 4,500 ft, temperature 25°C, altimeter 29.99 inches Hg. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Wreckage and Impact
The initial impact point was in an industrial yard about 0.17 miles east-northeast of the runway 17 displaced threshold. The debris path extended 186 ft to the main wreckage, with the left engine and propeller 108 ft further. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, wings, empennage, and right engine and propeller. The fuselage and cockpit were destroyed by postimpact fire. Flight control continuity could not be established due to impact damage. The flaps and landing gear were found retracted. Both fuel tanks were destroyed. The right fuel selector was positioned to draw from the right tank; the left fuel selector was separated. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was found in the airframe.
Examination Findings
The left engine exhibited no preimpact mechanical anomalies. The propeller was not feathered at impact, with blades near the start lock position. The right engine also showed no preimpact anomalies; its propeller had impact damage consistent with rotation toward low pitch stop. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction was found on either engine or propeller.