Cessna 310L accident near Auburn, Alabama, January 11, 1982
On January 11, 1982 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 310L, registered N424VW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Alabama (Auburn/Opelika airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 1982 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Alabama · Auburn/Opelika · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310L · all 310Ls on the register
- Registration
- N424VW · no longer on the register · serial 310-0141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOKOFF FROM NORTH HUNTSVILLE ON A RUNWAY THAT WAS WET FROM MELTED SNOW. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT, SO HE RETURNED AND LANDED. A MECHANIC FOUND ICE ON THE ANTI-RETRACTION SWITCH ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. A GROUND HEATER WAS USED TO MELT THE ICE AND THE SWITCH WAS CLEANED. ANOTHER TAKEOFF WAS MADE AND THE GEAR RETRACTED NORMALLY. DURING ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION, THE NOSE GEAR WOULD EXTEND ONLY ABOUT HALF-WAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND AND LOCK THE NOSE GEAR WITH EITHER NORMAL OR EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR WITH THE PROPELLERS FEATHERED. DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE PROPELLERS AND THE NOSE SECTION. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE TUBE ASSEMBLY, PN 0840125-4, WAS BOWED AND BROKEN.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,107 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 2,975 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntsville AL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: Auburn AL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 3,945 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.