Cessna 310R accident near Schafer Meadows, Montana, June 26, 2016
On June 26, 2016 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 310R, registered N455TB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Schafer Meadows, Montana (Schafer Usfs 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
A loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and landing gear collapse for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2016 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Schafer Meadows, Montana · Schafer Usfs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310R, built 1980 · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N455TB · registry record · serial 310R1860
- 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, during landing on an uphill runway, the airplane touched down, veered slightly to the side, and then veered the other direction and back. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, the landing gear collapsed, and the stabilizer and elevator were substantially damaged. During postaccident examination, the left landing gear upper trunnion was found fracture separated. The investigation could not determine whether the upper trunnion fracture separation caused the airplane to veer from one direction to the other or whether the trunnion was fractured due to the landing gear collapsing.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,501 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT
- Destination: 8U2 Schafer Meadows MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from GPI, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 1, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Email - Pilot Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | On Scene Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N455TB 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.