Cessna 310Q accident near St. George, Utah, March 21, 2015
On March 21, 2015 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1971 Cessna 310Q, registered N7770Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. George, Utah (St George Regional Airport). It was a personal 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
Failure of the left main landing gear lower adjusting bolt due to overstress, which resulted in the left main landing gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2015 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- St. George, Utah · St George Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310Q, built 1971 · all 310Qs on the register
- Registration
- N7770Q · no longer on the register · serial 310Q0270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that he completed three takeoffs and landings before departing the area to practice in-flight maneuvers, after which he reentered the traffic pattern for landing. With normal landing gear indications in the cockpit, the pilot landed the airplane normally and uneventfully. During the landing roll, the left wing lowered more than normal, and the engine propellers and left wingtip impacted the runway surface; subsequently, the airplane slid to the left and exited the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. Postaccident examination revealed that the lower adjusting bolt on the left main landing gear was fracture separated. Both fracture surfaces exhibited fractographic features consistent with overstress fracture due to tensile and cantilever bending loads applied to the tie-rod end fitting. No indications of preexisting cracking were observed. The airplane's last annual inspection was completed on the day of the accident, during which the left and right main landing gear side brace bolts and bushings were replaced and a gear retraction test was satisfactory. According to the manufacturer, the area where the fracture occurred is where a mechanic would place a spring scale to measure the down lock force. This area is one of two main fracture locations when the down lock is improperly adjusted. The investigation could not determine if the bolt fractured as a result of overstress from the landing sequence, an improper adjustment of the bolt, or a combination of the two.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,071 hours in all; 199 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command; 115 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 14, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2015; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,302 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 6,210 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO-470 SERIES (piston); 2,621 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGU St. George UT
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 9,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from KSGU, 1 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.
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.