Cessna 310L accident near Virgil, NY
On September 28, 2002, a Cessna 310L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Virgil, NY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 28, 2002
- Place
- Virgil, NY
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 42.505°N, 76.192°W
- NTSB ID
- 20021018X05328
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 27, 2002, about 2036 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310L, N2276F, was destroyed when it impacted trees in Virgil, New York, while maneuvering for the Cortland County Chase Airport (N03), Cortland, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area for the business flight that departed Iron Mountain (IMT), Kingsford, Michigan, at 1736. A flight plan was not filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to automated flight service station (AFSS) data, the pilot requested and received an "outlook" weather briefing in the morning via telephone, and then called back to get an update on the winds aloft just prior to boarding the airplane. During the outlook briefing, the pilot was advised by the briefer that cloud ceilings of 500 feet and 2 miles visibility with heavy rain showers were forecasted for the State of New York, until 2000. The briefer added that for Syracuse, New York, the forecast was for ceiling 800 feet overcast, and 2 miles visibility in moderate rain and mist until 2100. Other than the two AFSS telephone briefings, no other weather briefing data for the accident flight was located. According to air traffic control data, the pilot was operating under visual flight rules until reaching the Buffalo, New York, area. At that point, he requested instrument flight rules (IFR) handling, and changed his plan destination from Syracuse, New York, to Cortland. Once in the Cortland area, the pilot was cleared for the VOR-A approach. App
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue the flight into IMC after canceling his IFR clearance, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Factors in the accident were rain, low ceilings, and night.
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Browse: New York · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
