Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lagrange, Indiana 43761
Thursday, August 19, 2010 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that, during cruise flight, he noticed a sudden airplane vibration, decreased controllability, and a loss of altitude. He initially thought that the vibration was coming from the empennage but later thought it was from the left engine. He stated that the engine instrument indications for both engines were normal. He elected to shut down the left engine, but the vibration and altitude loss continued. The pilot performed an off-airport landing to a pasture, and the airplane collided with obstacles. During postaccident examination, no airframe anomalies that would have induced a vibration were noted. Testing of the right engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have induced a vibration or precluded normal operation. The airplane owner's manual performance information indicated that the airplane was capable of climbing at a rate of about 500 feet per minute with one engine inoperative at the conditions that were present at the time of the accident. Given that no anomalies were found with the airframe or the right engine and that the airplane had climb performance capability even with one engine inoperative, it is likely that the pilot was distracted by the vibration and did not maintain altitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not maintain altitude due to his distracted attention to a vibration of unknown origin.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LaGrange
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43761
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413837N
Event Location Longitude 0852502W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1135 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID IRS
Elevation of weather observation facility 924
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29756
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2012 2:40PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6762X
NTSB Number CEN10LA494
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 310F-0062
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pilot
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wahpeton
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wahpeton
Operator State ND
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code USE
Departure City Wauseon
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BWP
Destination City Wahpeton
Destination State ND
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2012 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --