- Date
- April 2, 2006, 20:16 local (Apr 3, 2006, 03:16 UTC)
- Place
- Lincoln, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5096QCessna 310N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 63692
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 collapse of the nose gear due to an out of tolerance nose gear over center adjustment.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While transitioning from landing to taxiing the pilot experienced a bumping sound, which was followed by the collapse of the nose gear. Examination of photographs of the damage revealed that several inches of the nose fuselage structure had been ground down by contact with the runway pavement. The nose gear was examined by an airframe and power plant (A&P) mechanic. The mechanic reported that the nose gear drive tube was bent inboard 90 degrees, suggesting that the nose over center adjustment was out of tolerance, and a sufficient impact could cause the gear to unlock from the down position. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or foreign object damage.
Factual narrative
On April 2, 2006, at 2016 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 310N, N5096Q, experienced a nose landing gear collapse during the landing roll at Lincoln Regional Airport, Lincoln, California. The student pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento, California, at 1845.
The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator report that while transitioning from landing to taxing he experienced a bumping sound, which was followed by the collapse of the nose gear. Examination of photographs of the damage revealed that several inches of the nose fuselage structure had been ground down by contact with the runway pavement. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator had the nose gear examined by an airframe and power plant (A&P) mechanic. The mechanic reported that the nose gear drive tube was bent inboard 90 degrees, suggesting that the nose over center adjustment was out of tolerance, and a sufficient impact could cause the gear to unlock from the down position. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or foreign object damage. The pilot reported that the last annual inspection occurred in May 2005.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5096Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 310N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310N-0196
- Engines
- Teledyen Continental IO-470, reciprocatingTeledyne Continental IO-470, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Peterson
- Registered owner
- Robert Peterson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2005
- Departed
- KSMF · Sacramento, CA
- Destination
- KLHM · Lincoln, CA
- Airport
- KLHM · Lincoln Regional, runway 15, 6,001 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 40 total · 10 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F