NYC95LA165

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 310Q · Buffalo, NY · July 19, 1995

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 19, 1995, 02:00 local (06:00 UTC)
Place
Buffalo, NY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N310JMCessna 310Q
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Status
Completed · report February 27, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19950719022379A
Case key
39007

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard landing and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. Pilot fatigue was a related factor.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Flare - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
FatiguePilot in commandFactor
Main gear collapsedLanding - flare/touchdown
Landing gear,main gear - overload

Analysis

The airplane initially touched down on runway 32 with approximately 3981 feet remaining. Runway 32 was 5376 feet long and 150 feet wide. The pilot stated that initial contact with the runway was 'a little harder than usual' and the airplane bounced. He added power, and the airplane began to 'float.' When he reduced power, the right wing struck the ground. The investigation revealed that during the landing sequence, the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot had stated to FAA inspector(s) that during initial touchdown, he was 'glad this flight was over, he was getting tired.' According to the pilot, he had started work at approximately 1400 and had flown to Albany at about 1830.

Factual narrative

On July 19, 1995, about 0200 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, N310JM, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Buffalo International Airport (BUF), Buffalo, New York. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan had been filed. The business flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the FAA, the airplane initially touched down on runway 32, approximately 50 feet beyond the intersection of runways 23 and 32 (with approximately 3981 feet remaining). Runway 32 was 5,376 feet long and 150 feet wide.

The pilot stated to the FAA Inspector that his:

...initial contact with the runway was "a little harder than usual" and he bounced and noticed that something did not feel right. He added power and the aircraft began to "float." When he reduced power he felt the right wing going down, and around taxiway Q...the right wing touched the ground...he...remembered saying to himself during initial touchdown that he was glad this flight was over, he was getting tired. He had started work at approximately 2:00PM (1400)and had flown to Albany at around 6:30PM (1830).

During the landing sequence, the right main landing gear collapsed. The investigation revealed that there were 3 gouges in the runway pavement where the "right prop" first contacted the pavement abeam the intersection of runway 32 and taxiway Q. The airplane continued on the runway for approximately 1500 feet, departing the right side of the runway before coming to rest in the grass.

At the time of the accident, the pilot had 3,407.6 total flight hours, 1,236.6 night flight hours and 243 flight hours in this make and model airplane.

The BUF 0211 weather was; 8,500 scattered, 10,000 broken, visibility 15 miles, temperature 68 degrees F, dew point 57 degrees F, wind 290 degrees, 7 knots, altimeter 29.87 inches Hg.

Aircraft

Registration
N310JM
Reported as
Cessna 310Q
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1011
Airframe hours
3,235
Engine
Continental IO-470-VO, 470 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
John Davis
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 8, 1994 · 76 hours before
Departed
ALB · Albany, NY
Destination
BUF
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
BUF · Buffalo International, runway 32, 5,376 × 150 ft, concrete

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
63
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,408 total · 243 in this make and model · 3,339 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Wind
290° at 7 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
10,000 ft broken
Temperature
68 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
BUF

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.