Cessna 310Q accident near Spokane, Washington, August 11, 1983
On August 11, 1983 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 310Q, registered N69604, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Spokane International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 11, 1983 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Spokane International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N69604 · registry record · serial 310Q0812
- 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
WHILE LANDING WITH A SLIGHT LEFT X-WIND, THE PLT PURPOSELY TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FIRST. MOMENTARILY AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE OTHER MAIN WHEEL, THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. AT FIRST, THE PLT THOUGHT THE RIGHT TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT & CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN, BUT TO NO AVAIL. RUDDER & BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS DIMINISHED & THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DRAG LINK UPPER BOLT, PN NAS464P4-26, HAD FAILED. THE BOLT & BUSHING WERE RUSTY & HAD SEIZED IN THE DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY. ALSO, SEVERAL OTHER BOLTS & BUSHINGS THROUGHOUT THE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY WERE FOUND TO BE RUSTY & HAD SEIZED. AN ANNUAL HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ON 7/26/83. THE TOTAL FLT TIME ON THE ACFT SINCE THE INSPECTION WAS 20.3 HRS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 5,315 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BZN Bozeman MT at 6:00 pm
- Destination: GEG Spokane WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from GEG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.