Cessna 310I accident near Burlington, Vermont, October 2, 2012
On October 2, 2012 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 310I, registered N8025M, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Burlington, Vermont (Burlington airport). 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 collapse of the left main landing gear due to a failure of the left main gear bellcrank pin for reasons that could not be determined because the pieces of the fractured bellcrank pin were not located.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2012 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Vermont · Burlington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310I, built 1964 · all 310Is on the register
- Registration
- N8025M · no longer on the register · serial 310I0025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed the multiengine airplane without incident and while taxiing, the left main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the left main gear bellcrank pin separated from its bushing. The pin was not located; however, metallurgical examination of the left main gear bellcrank and retraction link revealed significant deformation and fracturing of the bellcrank bushing consistent with a very large force applied along the axis of the link. The deformations on the link bore suggested the pin fractured inside the hole and exited the bore as two separated pieces. While overstress conditions seem probable, other failure modes, such as a significant fatigue crack cannot be ruled out since the pin fragments were not located. The airplane was manufactured about 38 years prior to the accident. It had been operated for about 3,675 total hours and 25 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 2 months earlier.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,675 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 2012; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motors Inc. IO-470U (piston); 1,100 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motors Inc. IO-470U (piston); 250 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT
- Destination: BTV Burlington VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 8,320 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from BTV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.