N218S

On December 9, 1998, at 1821 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 310C, N218S, registered to a private individual, landed with the landing gear retracted at Page Field, in Fort Myers, Florida. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. A review of weather data from the nearest reporting facility revealed that visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An examination of the airplane at the accident site, by an Airworthiness Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, disclosed that the airframe sustained substantial structural damage to the underside of the airframe. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight departed Daytona Beach, Florida, at 1700.

According to the pilot, during his preflight inspection of the airplane he did not notice that the nose gear strut had collapsed and was not fully extended. After takeoff the landing gear retraction was normal. When the pilot arrived at the destination airport, the pilot lowered the landing gear handle, during the before landing check, but did not confirm cockpit indications of the landing gear position. The pilot reported that the gear warning horn sounded seconds prior to touchdown. The airplane touched down with the nose gear in the retracted position.

Examination of the landing gear system revealed that the nose gear strut failed to extend in the wheel well and interfered with the right hand nose gear door. Maintenance and service information on the nose wheel strut was not available. The airplane was last inspected on February 7, 1998. The before landing checklist instructs the pilot to check the landing gear down and lock indicators.