# NTSB CEN26LA278: Cessna 310, N3618G, North Little Rock, AR, August 1, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 1, 2026, 10:13 local (15:13 UTC) - Place: North Little Rock, AR - Coordinates: 34.830992, -92.254703 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8310&lon=-92.2547&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 15, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Little Rock FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 203521 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA278 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203521/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203521 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA278 ## Probable cause The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction’s failure to verify that the landing gear was extended before landing, which resulted in a gear-up landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear selector](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023234): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 310, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023234/cases.md?model=2074202), [All aircraft, 54 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023234/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring equip/instruments](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 310, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md?model=2074202), [All aircraft, 142 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021525/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 310, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=2074202), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 310, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=2074202), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that at some point between the base turn and final approach, the landing gear selector switch was inadvertently moved to the UP or gear retracted position. Unknown to the flight instructor or the pilot receiving instruction, the airplane subsequently landed with the landing gear retracted and sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the landing gear selector switch revealed that the safety notch was worn and allowed the switch to move from the DOWN position to the UP position with minimal force. The worn condition of the safety notch could have increased the likelihood of an inadvertent movement of the selector switch during flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3618G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3618G), registered now, S/N 35313, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 310 - Registry model: [Cessna 310](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310) (registry code 2074202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 35313 - Year built: 1956 - Airframe hours: 5500 - Engines: Continental Motors O-470 235 horsepower reciprocating; Continental Motors O-470 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2026 - Airport: ORK, North Little Rock Municipal Airport, runway 23, 5,002 × 75 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 5, 2025; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 174 total, 1.5 in this make and model, 22.8 in the last 90 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 22; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 24, 2026; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 2,862.2 total, 148.1 in this make and model, 2,796.3 as pilot in command, 157.3 in the last 90 days, 51.7 in the last 30 days, 4.9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 9 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: KORK - METAR: KORK 011515Z AUTO 28009G18KT 250V310 10SM CLR 29/19 A2979 RMK AO2 ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203521. 11.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20946744&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA278%20form%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, FAA inspector (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20946528&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA278%20MOR%20FAA_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 601 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20946206&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA278%20%20photo%20array-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 4, MP4, 8.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20946797&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=CEN26LA278%20Video-Rel.mp4 From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.