Cessna 310P accident near Crystal River, Florida, December 21, 2003
On December 21, 2003 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 310P, registered N5811M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River 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
Inadequate maintenance by company maintenance personnel, which resulted in operation of the airplane with a deflated nose landing gear strut, which resulted in the nose gear failing to lock in position, gear collapse, and damage to the airplane during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2003 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310P · all 310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5811M · no longer on the register · serial 310PO111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during takeoff/initial climb, at an altitude of about 500 feet, he placed the landing gear handle in the "UP" position, and during retraction, heard a loud bang, and the rudder pedals shuttered. He said he lowered the gear handle, and received a green light indication only the main gear. He then retarded the throttle levers to check for the landing gear warning horn, but the horn did not activate. He said he then performed the emergency gear extension procedure, but the nose gear did not extend. During subsequent landing rollout, as the airspeed decreased the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a halt on the runway. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records showed that maintenance had been performed on the airplane's nose gear 11 hours prior to the accident, and 5 hours prior to the accident the airplane had received an annual inspection. Postaccident examination of the airplane's nose landing gear revealed that the damage was consistent with the nose gear strut not receiving proper service, having deflated, and being out of alignment.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,300 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 7,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 16, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,504 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 12, 2003; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGC Crystal River FL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CGC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,555 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BKV, 24 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N5811M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.