Cessna 310P accident near Dunnellon, Florida, December 19, 2007
On December 19, 2007 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 310P, registered N5811M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dunnellon, Florida. 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 improper installation of the right main landing gear scissors by company maintenance personnel, resulting in the collapse of the right main landing gear during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2007 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · 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 310P0111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot receiving instruction were on a training flight practicing touch and go landings. The pilot receiving instruction made a touch and go landing, and remained in left traffic for another touch and go landing. The airplane touched down on the runway, and the CFI retracted the flaps. The pilot receiving instruction added power and the airplane pulled to the right. The CFI thought the airplane had a flat tire and took over the flight controls. The airplane continued turning to the right, and the CFI lost directional control as the right wing dropped and struck the runway. The airplane went off the right side of the runway before stopping. Review of the aircraft logbooks revealed a mechanic had installed new scissors bushings on the airplane on December 18, 2007. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed the wide area washers had not been installed under the bolt head as required by the maintenance manual. These washers keep the scissors from sliding off the bushings at the attachment point. The mechanic performing the maintenance installed the washers on the wrong side of the scissors. After the second touch and go landing the scissors separated, and the wheel began to move around loosely, precipitating the collapse of the right main landing gear.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,800 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 11,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 312 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,814 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V0 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCGC Crystal River FL at 7:15 pm
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KOCF, 10 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.