Cessna 310C accident near Lancaster, California, January 9, 2011
On January 9, 2011 at about 3:51 pm local time, a Cessna 310C, registered N1755H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lancaster, California (General Wm J Fox Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not maintain an appropriate descent profile during the approach. Contributing to the accident was that the pilot did not follow checklist procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2011 · about 3:51 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · General Wm J Fox Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310C · all 310Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1755H · no longer on the register · serial 35855
- 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 the nose landing gear failed to fully retract after a practice approach and that he diverted to a nearby airport with the intent of landing. After completing the emergency procedures checklist, and about 1/4 mile from the intended runway with the main gear down and the nose gear in the mid-range position, the pilot placed the mixture levers in the idle cut-off position and the propeller levers to feather. After doing so, the airplane’s descent rate increased and the pilot inadvertently landed 200 feet short of the intended runway, substantially damaging the forward fuselage and wings. The Emergency Procedures checklist for the accident airplane indicated, in part, that the pilot should land the airplane prior to placing the mixture levers to the idle cut-off position. When the pilot placed the mixture levers to the cut-off position prior to landing with a reported 23 knot headwind, the airplane’s descent profile likely increased prior to reaching the intended runway and the airplane landed short of the runway. The checklist does not make reference to the propeller levers. After a postaccident examination of the nose landing gear, the pilot reported that the centering roller mechanism was missing and most likely separated during the flight, resulting in the nose gear wheel assembly not centering during retraction, which jammed the wheel assembly in the wheel well.
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 approach
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,488 hours in all; 336 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 9,522 as pilot in command; 3,278 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 13, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2010; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,830 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor I0-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDAG Barstow-Daggett CA at 3:07 pm
- Destination: KWJF Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 7,201 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 23 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1755H 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.