Cessna 310D accident near Palmetto, Georgia, April 18, 1996
On April 18, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 310D, registered N100VG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmetto, Georgia (South Fulton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain the proper descent rate resulting in a hard landing and collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmetto, Georgia · South Fulton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310D · all 310Ds on the register
- Registration
- N100VG · registry record · serial 39063
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he diverted due to a partially open cabin door. He entered the traffic pattern and while on short final approach to the 2,690-foot runway with a 600-foot displaced threshold, a high sink rate developed. He applied nose-up elevator input three times but only applied power during the third elevator input. The airplane landed hard on the right main landing gear causing it to collapse. The airplane then bounced twice, veered off the right side of the runway, and contacted a closed taxiway that was raised 4-6 inches causing the left main and nose landing gears to collapse.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,040 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,905 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1995; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A7 Hampton GA at 7:05 pm
- Destination: 8A9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,690 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from ATL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.