AOPA’s Air Safety Institute Releases Early Analysis: Cessna 310 Crash Video

On Tuesday, July 18, a Cessna T310R crashed on departure from Santa Fe Regional Airport in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sadly, the pilot—the sole occupant on board the airplane—perished in the accident. No one on the ground was hurt.

The turbo-charged twin airplane took off from Runway 20, shortly after 9:00 a.m., bound for Santa Monica Airport in California. Just minutes after departure, the pilot contacted the tower reporting that an engine had failed. Moments later, the airplane crashed into a nearby residence.

“In Early Analysis: Cessna 310 Crash—Santa Fe, New Mexico, the AOPA Air Safety Institute wants to help pilots understand what is known about the accident as we look at factors that are likely to be a subject of the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and what we can learn as general aviation pilots to fly safer," said AOPA's ASI Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden.

McSpadden continued, “Warm weather resulting in a high-density altitude condition could be a contributing factor in this accident as it degrades aircraft performance—even if the airplane is turbo-charged. Other issues to consider are the Cessna 310’s complicated fuel system and why the aircraft could not obtain better performance on a single-engine.”

“As pilots, we can remind ourselves of the adverse impact density altitude has on aircraft performance and of the importance to understand—and swiftly apply—the correct procedures for an engine failure in a light twin,” McSpadden concluded.

Early Analysis videos provide an initial assessment of prominent mishaps that generate large public interest and may indicate important safety lessons for the general aviation community.

View the video here.

View other Early Analysis videos here.