Cessna 310R accident near Washington, District of Columbia, September 15, 1988
On September 15, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N87297, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, District of Columbia (National airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
- September 15, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · National · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N87297 · no longer on the register · serial 310R0506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO ROLL AND CAME TO A STOP ON TAXIWAY 'K'. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE PUSH-PULL ROD ASSEMBLY, P/N 0840125-15, FAILED ALLOWING THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE PURPOSE OF THE ROD IS TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE BRACE ASSEMBLY TO KEEP THE GEAR IN THE LOCKED POSITION.
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: 2,400 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,786 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 9, 1988; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESN Easton MD at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
Other NTSB records under N87297 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.