Cessna 310R accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, March 10, 2022
On March 10, 2022 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 310R, registered N3UR, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (into takeoff position) near Mcgrath, Alaska (Mcgrath 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 failure of the right main landing gear bellcrank lower arm fork, bellcrank, pivot bolt, and trunnion bellcrank lug for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2022 · about 11:30 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Mcgrath · cases near this 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 1974 · all 310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3UR · no longer on the register · serial 310R0061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot back-taxied the airplane for departure and then began a 180° left turn to align the airplane with the runway centerline when the right main landing gear collapsed. The gear collapse resulted in substantial damage to the right elevator. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed fractures to the bellcrank lower arm fork, bellcrank, pivot bolt, and trunnion bellcrank lug at the right main landing gear, which all displayed signatures consistent with overstress. The airplane had recently been repaired following another right main landing gear failure. During the repair the accident pilot, who was also the mechanic, adjusted the down lock tension as required by the maintenance manual and returned the airplane to service after he determined that the tension was within limits. A statement from the airplane manufacturer suggested that the failure may have been the result of an improper down lock tension adjustment. However, there was insufficient evidence in the investigation to show whether the pilot performed the adjustment incorrectly, thus the cause of the landing gear failure is undetermined.
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 taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Unknown/Not determined other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 35,774 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 25,132 as pilot in command; 2,747 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 22, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,893.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 2022; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,725 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motors IO-520-M1B (piston); 1,326 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motors IO-520-M1B (piston); 1,326 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PARY Ruby AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,936 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PAMC
Weather report (METAR): PAMC 102353Z 01009KT 10SM OVC022 M04/M08 A2972 RMK AO2 SLP072 60001 T10441078 11039 21067 58011
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Bellcrank lower arm fork
Photo 2 – Bellcrank pivot bolt
Photo 3 – Trunnion clevis off landing gear strut
Photo 4 – Trunnion clevis at right main landing gear bellcrank assembly
Photo 5 – Airplane at accident siteThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2024. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Email Correspondence | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Materials Laboratory Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Logbook Excerpt | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Figures of Failure Areas | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Landing Gear Excerpt from Maintenance Manual | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Down Lock Tension Excerpt from Maintenance Manual | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3UR: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 310 1,411 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520-M1B 9,485 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520-M1B 9,485 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- MC Grath Airport · nearest airport
- Ruby Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,144 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR22LA124.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.