Cessna 310C accident near San Jose, California, March 6, 1983
On March 6, 1983 at about 7:22 pm local time, a Cessna 310C, registered N1884H, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- March 6, 1983 · about 7:22 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310C · all 310Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1884H · no longer on the register · serial 35984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS TAKING OFF, HE HEARD A NOISE, DURING GEAR RETRACTION, THAT SOUNDED TO HIM LIKE AN EXPLOSION & THE GEAR-UP LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. HE THEN TRIED TO EXTEND THE GEAR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET A SAFE-DOWN INDICATION. HE WAS ABLE TO FULLY EXTEND THE MAIN GEAR, BUT GOT ONLY A PARTIAL EXTENSION OF THE NOSE GEAR. THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & MADE AN APCH TO RWY 13. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY. REPORTEDLY, IT ROLLED ONTO THE RWY & THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL CENTERING CAM ROLLER & ATTACHING STUD, PN CR-10-1, WAS BROKEN OFF & PART OF THE STUD WAS MISSING. THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE STUD WAS FOUND TO HAVE BROKEN OFF AT THE STUD RECEPTACLE ON THE STEERING YOKE SUPPORT. APRX 1/2 OF THE FRACTURE AREA WAS RUSTY. THE REMAINDER OF THE FRACTURE WAS A SHINY SILVER COLOR & APPEAR TO BE A RECENT FRACTURE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,900 hours in all; 904 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 12,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13R, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:22 pm from RHV
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.