Cessna 310D accident near Lancaster, California, August 30, 1987
On August 30, 1987 at about 7:53 pm local time, a Cessna 310D, registered N39DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California (William J. Fox airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 30, 1987 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · William J. Fox · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310D · all 310Ds on the register
- Registration
- N39DD · registry record · serial 39140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) RPRTD THAT HE HEARD A LOUD BANG DURING GEAR RETRACTION AFTER TAKEOFF. BY USING THE CONVEX MIRRORS MOUNTED ON THE TIP TANKS, HE DETERMINED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS HANGING. HE CYCLED THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT MOVE. THE PIC STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A SMOOTH SECTION OF GROUND WHICH WAS THE APPROACH TO RWY 24. HE STATED THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR SWUNG INTO ITS WHEEL WELL, BUT THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT THEN TURNED TO THE LEFT & THE RGT MAIN GEAR FAILED FROM SIDE LOADING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP WITH BOTH TIP TANKS BROKEN OFF. AN EXAM REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR ROD END LINK THAT CONNECTED TO THE LANDING GEAR TRANSMISSION GEARBOX HAD FRACTURED.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,129 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,129 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1987; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WJF at 7:20 pm
- Destination: O17 Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from WJF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.