Cessna 310P N5811M

Summary

On 21 December 2003 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 310P registered N5811M was involved in an accident near Crystal River, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 December 2003 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Crystal River, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Crystal River Airport (CGC)

Coordinates

28.8678, -82.5744

Aircraft

Cessna 310P

Registration

N5811M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Crystal River → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA04LA036

Nobody was injured.

Inadequate maintenance by company maintenance personnel, which resulted in operation of the airplane with a deflated nose landing gear strut, which resulted in the nose gear failing to lock in position, gear collapse, and damage to the airplane during landing rollout.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that during takeoff/initial climb, at an altitude of about 500 feet, he placed the landing gear handle in the "UP" position, and during retraction, heard a loud bang, and the rudder pedals shuttered. He said he lowered the gear handle, and received a green light indication only the main gear. He then retarded the throttle levers to check for the landing gear warning horn, but the horn did not activate. He said he then performed the emergency gear extension procedure, but the nose gear did not extend. During subsequent landing rollout, as the airspeed decreased the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a halt on the runway. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records showed that maintenance had been performed on the airplane's nose gear 11 hours prior to the accident, and 5 hours prior to the accident the airplane had received an annual inspection. Postaccident examination of the airplane's nose landing gear revealed that the damage was consistent with the nose gear strut not receiving proper service, having deflated, and being out of alignment.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.