Accident Overview
On August 23, 2025, about 1825 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, registration N7664Q, was destroyed in an accident near Milledgeville, Georgia. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations.
Flight History
According to a witness, the pilot, based in Hilton Head, South Carolina, flew to Fairfield County Airport (FDW) in Winnsboro, South Carolina, to obtain an instrument flight rules recertification. After completion, the pilot departed runway 4 at FDW about 1723 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan to Baldwin County Regional Airport (MLJ) in Milledgeville, Georgia, approximately 130 nautical miles to the south-southwest.
Preliminary air traffic control communications and ADS-B data showed that after departure, the pilot made a right turn and flew east for about 6 miles, then made a left 360° turn to the southwest while climbing to an en route cruising altitude of about 10,000 ft mean sea level. Altitudes, ground speeds, and headings were consistent during the en route portion. As the airplane approached the initial approach fix (IBUDY) for the RNAV GPS 10 arrival to MLJ, the pilot was in communication with the Atlanta radar approach controller.
The controller issued a descent to 4,000 ft, provided the MLJ altimeter, and asked the pilot to verify receipt of the weather. The pilot confirmed and was cleared for the RNAV Runway 10 Approach; the controller instructed the pilot to pass over IBUDY at or above 3,000 ft, which was acknowledged. No further transmissions were received. About 10 seconds after the last communication and 6 miles east of IBUDY, the airplane entered a left turn toward the south and descended. The controller issued a low altitude alert, but the airplane continued on a track of about 120° and descended until flight track data was lost at 1821, about 6 nm west of the approach end of runway 10. During the descent, ground speed increased from 140 kts to 179 kts.
Weather Conditions
Reported weather conditions around the time of the accident showed overcast conditions around 2,200 to 2,500 ft with clouds extending to 10,000 ft. No precipitation was in the area. There was a 10 to 15 knot tailwind during the last portion of the flight. The freezing level was above 15,000 ft with no reported PIREPs in the region.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane initially impacted the tops of 78-ft pine trees, then level terrain, coming to rest at an elevation of 462 ft. The wreckage path was oriented on a magnetic heading of 151°, with a debris field 135 ft wide and 660 ft long. The airplane was highly fragmented. No evidence of post-impact or in-flight fire was observed. Tree and ground impact evidence was consistent with a slight nose-down, wings-level attitude.
Examination revealed all major components were accounted for. Flight control continuity was confirmed for elevator, rudder, and aileron; cables exhibited tensile overload breaks with a "broomstraw" appearance. The elevator trim position corresponded to about 5° nose-up. The flap handle was in the up position.
Undamaged fuel system components contained fluid with the smell and consistency of aviation fuel, absent of contamination. The landing gear selector was up, and all three landing gear were retracted at impact.
Instrument panel analog gauges and electronic primary flight instruments were severely damaged; no non-volatile memory was available for download.
Both engines separated from their wing mounts during the accident sequence. They were found in the last third of the wreckage path and were impact damaged. Spark plugs remained in place; magnetos were impact-separated.
Both propeller assemblies separated from their engines. The three-bladed metal propellers showed chordwise scraping, leading edge gouging, and bends. One blade from each hub was separated; remaining blades were attached.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.