Cessna 310 accident near Long Beach, California, March 10, 1989
On March 10, 1989 at about 5:20 am local time, a Cessna 310, registered N4899B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was an instructional 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 FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR STRUT ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1989 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N4899B · no longer on the register · serial 35199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 310 RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED WHILE TAXIING OFF THE RUNWAY AT THE LGB. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FELT A VIBRATION DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL AND OPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. AS THE PILOT EXITED THE RUNWAY THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE FOLLOWING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND LANDING GEAR MAINTENACE ON MARCH 03, 1989. AIRCRAFTSMAN, A FIXED BASE OPERATOR AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT HAD REPLACED ALL BUSHINGS AND SPACERS IN THE MAIN GEAR TORQUE LINKS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TORQUE LINK CENTER ATTACH BOLT WASHER WAS UNDER SIZE, ALLOWING THE UPPER TORQUE LINK TO PULL FREE FROM THE LOWER TORQUE LINK.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,560 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25R, 6,192 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 18 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.