On April 3, 2006, a Cessna 310N (registration N5096Q) operated by Robert Peterson was involved in an aviation accident near Lincoln, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collapse of the nose gear due to an out of tolerance nose gear over center adjustment. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During transition from landing to taxiing, the pilot heard a bumping sound followed by nose gear collapse. Examination revealed a bent drive tube and ground-down fuselage structure.
Incident Description
While transitioning from landing to taxiing, the pilot experienced a bumping sound, after which the nose gear collapsed. Photographs of the damage showed that several inches of the nose fuselage structure had been ground down by contact with the runway pavement.
Examination Findings
An airframe and power plant (A&P) mechanic examined the nose gear and reported that the nose gear drive tube was bent inboard 90 degrees. The mechanic suggested that the nose over center adjustment was out of tolerance, and a sufficient impact could cause the gear to unlock from the down position. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or foreign object damage.