Cessna 310 accident near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1982
On April 7, 1982 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 310, registered N8039Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Allegheny airport). It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1982 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Allegheny · 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
- N8039Q · registry record · serial 310Q0693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD DURING GEAR RETRACTION. A FLY BY THE TOWER CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT IN THE LOCKED POSITION AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO LOCK IT FAILED. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND AFTER THE AIRSPEED DISSIPATED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE NOSE SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SLID FOR APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT HEATER HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT FOR OVERHAUL. IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF THE HEATER, THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LINKAGES WERE DISCONNECTED. WHEN REINSTALLING THE LINKAGE TO THE LEFT GEAR DOOR, THE CLEVIS PIN WAS INSERTED THROUGH THE LINKAGE FORK, BUT NOT THROUGH THE CENTER HINGE EYEBOLT. THIS CAUSED THE LEFT NOSE GEAR DOOR TO CLOSE PRIOR TO THE NOSE GEAR ENTERING THE WHEEL WELL RESULTING IN THE RETRACTION LINKAGE TO PULL AWAY FROM THE ATTACHMENT POINTS.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 3,110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,110 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pittsburgh PA at 1:05 pm
- Destination: Latrobe PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 3,825 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.