Cessna 310C accident near Ft Myers, Florida, December 9, 1998
On December 9, 1998 at about 11:21 pm local time, a Cessna 310C, registered N218S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft Myers, Florida (Paige Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane by the pilot and subsequent malfunction of the nose gear strut, and the pilot's failure to follow the landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1998 · about 11:21 pm local time
- Place
- Ft Myers, Florida · Paige Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310C · all 310Cs on the register
- Registration
- N218S · registry record · serial 35963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During his preflight inspection of the airplane the pilot did not notice that the nose gear strut had collapsed and was not fully extended. After takeoff the landing gear retraction was normal. When the pilot arrived at the destination airport, the pilot lowered the landing gear handle, completed the before landing check, but did not confirm cockpit indications of the landing gear position. The airplane touched down with the nose gear in the retracted position. Examination of the landing gear system revealed that the nose gear strut failed to extend in the wheel well and interfered with the right hand nose gear door.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1998; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 44J Spruce Creek FL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: FMY Fort Meyers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from FMY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.