Cessna 310J accident near San Antonio, Texas, December 18, 2014
On December 18, 2014 at about 11:23 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna 310J, registered N700MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The retraction of the left main landing gear after landing for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2014 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Antonio Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J, built 1965 · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N700MA · no longer on the register · serial 310J0181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after departure, he noticed that the landing gear did not retract as usual. He began to troubleshoot the problem and actuated the gear-down lever. The landing gear did not extend, and the green landing gear light in the cockpit did not illuminate. He recycled the landing gear, but the gear still did not extend. The pilot continued to the destination airport and asked an air traffic controller to observe the position of the landing gear. The controller reported that the gear appeared to be down and cleared the flight to land. During the end of the landing roll, the left landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing spar. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear compartment was dirty and covered in oil and debris. However, the examination did not reveal the reason for the landing gear retraction.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,800 hours in all; 3,108 in this make and model; 25,400 as pilot in command; 19,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,441 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motors IO-470 (piston); 2,932 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motors IO-470 (piston); 2,932 hours total
- Operator: Alpha Tango Flying Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CVB Castroville TX
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12L, 5,519 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from KSAT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.