FTW88FA051

Factual narrative

THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, WHO HAD 55.2 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, WAS ON HIS INITIAL SOLO FLIGHT IN THE CESSNA 310 MODEL. HIS FLIGHT LOGBOOK HAD BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN THE AIRCRAFT ON NOVEMBER 20, 1987. WITNESSES OBSERVED A RATHER STEEP CLIMBOUT AFTER TAKEOFF TO AN ALTITUDE OF 2,500 TO 3,000 FEET MSL WHERE THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO AN INVERTED ATTITUDE AND DID A 2 1/2 TURN SPIN TO THE LEFT. THE SPIN ROTATION WAS ARRESTED BUT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA 4 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. NO EVIDENCE OF CONTROL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE ENGINES WERE SATISFACTORILY RUN IN A TEST CELL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PROPELLERS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF ROTATION AT IMPACT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12