Cessna 310F accident near Midland, Texas, June 9, 1985
On June 9, 1985 at about 8:02 pm local time, a Cessna 310F, registered N6778X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midland, Texas (Midland Reg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 9, 1985 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland Reg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310F · all 310Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6778X · no longer on the register · serial 3100078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON TAKEOFF, THE PLT HEARD A LOUD BANG WHEN HE CYCLED THE GEAR UP AND HE GOT A GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT. PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND ADVISED HIM THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS HANGING DOWN AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, BUT THE MAINS WERE UP. THE PLT DIVERTED TO A NEARBY ARPT THAT HAD BETTER EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. ON FINAL, THE PLT SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE. HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED SHORT AND SHEARED THE MAIN GEAR WHEN THE ACFT STARTED SLIDING SIDEWAYS. THE REASON FOR THE GEAR FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,230 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 1,752 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1985; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E11 Andrews TX
- Destination: 9X52 Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 4,245 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:22 pm from MAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.