Cessna 310B accident near Provo, Utah, March 19, 2002
On March 19, 2002 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 310B, registered N5381A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah (Provo Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
Failure of the nose landing gear retraction/extension assembly for an undetermined reason, which resulted in collapse of the nose landing gear on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2002 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310B · all 310Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5381A · no longer on the register · serial 35581
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the instructor, the landing gear failed to fully retract after takeoff. He stated that after lift-off, and with "no more usable runway," we "retracted the landing gear, looking for a green light gear indicator." The light did not come on. He looked outside at the mirror on the left main tank and identified the "gear malfunction." They continued the local flight to burn off excess fuel and then made a precautionary landing at Provo. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right forward nose landing gear well former (keel beam) assemblies. The manufacturer states that the Cessna 310B, is equipped with a landing gear position light system. Two landing gear position lights are provided, one above and one below the landing gear switch. The "upper light is red, and is on at all times when the gear is retracted." The "lower light is green, and illuminates only when the landing gear is fully extended and locked." If the landing gear is not fully extended and locked, the green light will not illuminate, and if neither light is on, the landing gear is in an intermediate 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
Flight instructor
- 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: 2,100 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 2,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,042 hours in all; 324 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 881 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,538.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 21, 2001; 98.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental O-470-M (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental O-470-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 11:30 am
- Destination: PVU Provo UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,937 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KPVU
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.