Cessna 310J accident near Sugar Grove, Illinois, September 20, 1991
On September 20, 1991 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N300RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sugar Grove, Illinois (Aurora Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 BUCKLED NOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENSION GEAR DRIVE TUBE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND NOT HAVING THE LANDING GEAR INSPECTED AT THE INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1991 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sugar Grove, Illinois · Aurora Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N300RA · registry record · serial 310J0152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIAL PILOT SELECTED GEAR DOWN FOR A PRACTICE LANDING, AND THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE MAIN GEAR AND SHUTDOWN ENGINES ON FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE NOSE FELL TO THE PAVEMENT. THE PROPELLERS STRUCK PAVEMENT AT FLIGHT PITCH. A GEAR DRIVE TUBE WAS FOUND BUCKLED IN COMPRESSION. THE LANDING GEAR HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 957 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 796 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1990; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.