# NTSB DEN02LA035: Cessna 310B, N5381A, Provo, UT, March 19, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 19, 2002, 13:55 local (20:55 UTC) - Place: Provo, UT - Coordinates: 40.220275, -111.727775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2203&lon=-111.7278&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 54434 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54434/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54434 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA035 ## Probable cause Failure of the nose landing gear retraction/extension assembly for an undetermined reason, which resulted in collapse of the nose landing gear on landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - reason for occurrence undetermined - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - failure (cause) - landing gear,nose gear - collapsed (cause) - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis According to the instructor, the landing gear failed to fully retract after takeoff. He stated that after lift-off, and with "no more usable runway," we "retracted the landing gear, looking for a green light gear indicator." The light did not come on. He looked outside at the mirror on the left main tank and identified the "gear malfunction." They continued the local flight to burn off excess fuel and then made a precautionary landing at Provo. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right forward nose landing gear well former (keel beam) assemblies. The manufacturer states that the Cessna 310B, is equipped with a landing gear position light system. Two landing gear position lights are provided, one above and one below the landing gear switch. The "upper light is red, and is on at all times when the gear is retracted." The "lower light is green, and illuminates only when the landing gear is fully extended and locked." If the landing gear is not fully extended and locked, the green light will not illuminate, and if neither light is on, the landing gear is in an intermediate position. ## Factual narrative On March 19, 2002, at approximately 1355 mountain standard time, a Cessna 310B, N5381A, was substantially damaged when its nose landing gear collapsed during landing roll at Provo Municipal Airport (PVU), Provo, Utah. The airline transport instructor pilot and commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local training flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at approximately 1130. According to the instructor, the landing gear failed to fully retract after takeoff. He stated that after lift-off, and with "no more usable runway," we "retracted the landing gear, looking for a green light gear indicator." The light did not come on. He looked outside at the mirror on the left main tank and identified the "gear malfunction." They continued the local flight to burn off excess fuel and then made a precautionary landing at Provo. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right forward nose landing gear well former (keel beam) assemblies. According to the manufacturer, the Cessna 310B, is equipped with a landing gear position light system. Two landing gear position lights are provided, one above and one below the landing gear switch. The "upper light is red, and is on at all times when the gear is retracted." The "lower light is green, and illuminates only when the landing gear is fully extended and locked." If the landing gear is not fully extended and locked, the green light will not illuminate, and if neither light is on, the landing gear is in an intermediate position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5381A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5381A-2021-12-04), registration cancelled 2021-12-04, S/N 35581, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 310B - Registry model: [Cessna 310B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310b) (registry code 2074208) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 35581 - Airframe hours: 4538.3 - Engines: Continental O-470-M 240 horsepower reciprocating; Continental O-470-M 240 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Twin C Enterprises, L.L.C. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 21, 2001, 98.8 hours before - Departed: PVU, Provo, UT - Destination: PVU, Provo, UT - Airport: PVU, Provo Municipal, runway 18, 6,937 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 50; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 13, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 2,100 total, 50 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 24, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 1,042 total, 324 in this make and model, 881 as pilot in command, 122 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Observed at: KPVU ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020319005309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020319005309A), Mar 19, 2002: Cessna 310B, Provo, UT, No damage. (-23) Aircraft departed pvu runway 13. After takeoff gear selected up and no red gear up light lit. Pilot viewed gear from wing mounted mirror and saw nose… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54434. 1.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 314 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40397069&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Supplement E (item 2, .PDF, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40167087&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Master.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 3, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40167088&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 4, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40167089&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - FAA Statement (item 5, .PDF, 724 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40397070&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports (item 6, .PDF, 298 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172808&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Master.PDF 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.