Cessna 310G accident near Austin, Texas, February 17, 1985
On February 17, 1985 at about 10:56 pm local time, a Cessna 310G, registered N2916R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Robert Mueller airport). It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1985 · about 10:56 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Robert Mueller · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310G · all 310Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2916R · no longer on the register · serial 310G0116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AS THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. HE CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION, BUT WHEN HE ARRIVED, HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A SAFE NOSE GEAR INDICATION. DURING THE LANDING, THE PLT DELAYED LOWERING THE NOSE & KEPT THE WEIGHT ON THE MAIN GEAR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE NOSE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR DOOR ACTUATING RODS HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED DURING MAINTENANCE ON THE PREVIOUS DAY & HAD NOT BEEN RECONNECTED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,309 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 1,309 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,362 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F46 Rockwall TX at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17R, 5,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from AUS
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.