Cessna 310 accident near Kennesaw, Georgia, December 13, 2015
On December 13, 2015 at about 9:33 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 310, registered N7675Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kennesaw, Georgia (Cobb County-Mc Collum Field). 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
Inadequate inspection and rigging of the landing gear system, which resulted in the subsequent failure and collapse of the left main landing gear during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2015 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Kennesaw, Georgia · Cobb County-Mc Collum Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 Q, built 1972 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N7675Q · no longer on the register · serial 310Q0454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was landing the airplane after conducting a local flight. He reported that, during the landing roll, after a normal touchdown on the concrete runway, the left main landing gear (MLG) collapsed. The airplane then veered left off of the runway onto grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and the bottom fuselage near the tail section. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left MLG down-lock bellcrank was fractured and had separated from its trunnion. The bellcrank bolt was sheared at the bolt head, consistent with overload. The upper end of the bellcrank remained attached to the outboard push-pull tube. The lower end of the bellcrank that attached to the rod end fitting at the lower side link was broken, consistent with a ductile tension failure. The fracture location was consistent with additional stress that would have been placed on the bellcrank if the landing gear had not been properly rigged. However, the damage to the landing gear precluded the ability to functionally check the gear or verify whether the landing gear system was properly rigged. According to the airplane service manual, during each annual inspection, the landing gear's down-lock tension is to be checked. Review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was completed 1 year before the accident and that the airplane had been operated for 16 hours since that inspection. The maintenance logbook entries did not indicate that the landing gear system was checked during the inspection.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 1,485 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,372 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 10, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 2014; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,302 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 1,422 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 1,422 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Kennesaw GA
- Destination: RYY Kennesaw GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from KRYY
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.