- Date
- December 18, 2014, 17:23 local (23:23 UTC)
- Place
- San Antonio, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N700MACessna 310J
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20141218024169A
- Case key
- 90546
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The retraction of the left main landing gear after landing for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, after departure, he noticed that the landing gear did not retract as usual. He began to troubleshoot the problem and actuated the gear-down lever. The landing gear did not extend, and the green landing gear light in the cockpit did not illuminate. He recycled the landing gear, but the gear still did not extend. The pilot continued to the destination airport and asked an air traffic controller to observe the position of the landing gear. The controller reported that the gear appeared to be down and cleared the flight to land. During the end of the landing roll, the left landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear compartment was dirty and covered in oil and debris. However, the examination did not reveal the reason for the landing gear retraction.
Factual narrative
On December 18, 2014, at 1723 central standard time, a Cessna 310J airplane, N700MA, experienced a left main landing gear collapse after landing at the San Antonio International Airport (KSAT), San Antonio, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Laguna Verde Leasing Inc., Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight departed from the Castroville Municipal Airport (KCVB), Castroville, Texas. The pilot reported that after departure he noticed the landing gear did not retract as usual. He began to troubleshoot the problem and actuated the gear down lever. The landing gear did not extend and the green landing gear light in the cockpit did not illuminate. The gear was recycled and the gear again did not extend. The pilot continued to the destination airport and had air traffic controller observe the position of the landing gear. The tower controller reported that the landing gear appeared to be down and cleared the pilot to land. During the end of the landing roll when the airplane was slow, the left landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and reported that the landing gear compartment was dirty and covered in oil and debris. The examination did not reveal the reason for the landing gear retraction. The airplane was not able to be examined a mechanic.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N700MA
- Reported as
- Cessna 310J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310J0181
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 8,441
- Engines
- Continental Motors IO-470, 470 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental Motors IO-470, 470 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Alpha Tango Flying Service Inc.
- Registered owner
- Laguna Verde Leasing Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2014
- Departed
- CVB · Castroville, TX
- Destination
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Airport
- SAT · San Antonio Intl, runway 12L, 5,519 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 25,800 total · 3,108 in this make and model · 25,400 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAT, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.