Paige Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft Myers, Florida 33907
Wednesday, December 9, 1998 18:21 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During his preflight inspection of the airplane the pilot 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, completed the before landing check, but did not confirm cockpit indications of the landing gear position. 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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane by the pilot and subsequent malfunction of the nose gear strut, and the pilot's failure to follow the landing checklist.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/9/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1821
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FT MYERS
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33907
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PAIGE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FMY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FMY
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1084
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1665
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 9 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1973
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N218S
NTSB Number ATL99LA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 310C
Aircraft Series Identifier 310C
Aircraft Serial Number 35963
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 7 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 6000
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BILL MEAZELL, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 4 BOX 2134
Aircraft Owner City NACOGDOCHES
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75964
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 44J
Departure City SPRUCE CREEK
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FMY
Destination City FORT MEYERS
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 6401
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --