Cessna 310 accident near Pasco, Washington, December 12, 2009
On December 12, 2009, a Cessna 310, registered N2640C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Pasco, Washington (Tri-Cities Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 failure of the right main landing gear up-lock.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2009
- Place
- Pasco, Washington · Tri-Cities Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N2640C · registry record · serial 35040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after departure he retracted the landing gear and the cabin heater simultaneously failed. He slowed the airplane and extended the landing gear in an effort to see if it would have an effect on the heater. After noting no change, he attempted to retract the landing gear again. There was no apparent movement in the landing gear position and the cockpit light was illuminated green in indication that the landing gear were down. He attempted to troubleshoot the problem to no avail. He maneuvered the airplane over the airport, where ground personnel confirmed that the landing gear were extended with the exception of the right main, which was retracted, but with the gear door extended. After numerous failed attempts to force the right main landing gear to extend, the pilot opted to land the airplane with all the landing gear in the retracted position. The airplane touched down in a tail-low attitude and settled onto the runway. Post accident examination revealed that the rod end of the up-lock push-pull tube on the right main landing gear had failed. According to the airplane manufacturer, the rod end of the tube was broken in tension overload, which is typically a result of improper rigging or a fatigue failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,890 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,866 as pilot in command; 1,308 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 10, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,685 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 2009; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S40 Prosser WA at 9:50 pm
- Destination: PSC Pasco WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 7,703 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point -4°F (-20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 pm from PSC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.