Cessna 310R accident near Bakersfield, California, May 8, 2013
On May 8, 2013 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Cessna 310R, registered N6096C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield Municipal Airport). It was an aerial observation 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 failure of the right main landing gear link assembly, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2013 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6096C · no longer on the register · serial 310R1263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, upon touchdown, the airplane's right main landing gear began to wobble and then it folded under the fuselage. Despite his efforts to maintain directional control, the airplane veered off the runway surface and came to rest in an adjacent dirt area. The right wheel and lower strut had separated from the upper strut and were found lying on the runway. The right main landing gear torque links had separated at the center hinge point, and the damage indicated that a mechanical malfunction of the link assembly had occurred, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing during landing.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,508 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 217 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 1,530 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,952 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 2013; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,680 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-520M (piston); 3,300 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Barr Air Patrol LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CCR Concord CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: L45 Bakersfield CA
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; a few clouds
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from BFL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N6096C 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.