Cessna 310J accident near Elko, Nevada, July 5, 1994
On July 5, 1994 at about 7:03 pm local time, a Cessna 310J, registered N310BD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elko, Nevada (Elko Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 collapse of the landing gear due to a gear strut bolt shearing in two.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1994 · about 7:03 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada · Elko Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310J · all 310Js on the register
- Registration
- N310BD · registry record · serial 310J013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NORMALLY AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE ROLLOUT. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE RIGHT HAND BELLCRANK TO THE LANDING GEAR STRUT WAS SHEARED IN TWO PLACES. THE BOLT SHEARED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BELLCRANK AT THE POINT BETWEEN THE BELLCRANK AND THE STRUT CASTING. A SOLID PIN JOINS THE BELLCRANK TO THE SIDE BRACE LOCK LINK. THE LOCK LINK FITS BETWEEN THE TWO EARS OF THE BELLCRANK.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,315 hours in all; 433 in this make and model; 229 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days; 1,589 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,854 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Copper State Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LOL Lovelock NV at 6:20 pm
- Destination: EKO NV
- Runway 23, 7,211 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 25 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Observation at 6:54 pm from EKO
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.