NTSB Factual Report

On April 3, 2002, at 1624 eastern standard time, a Cessna T310R, N5079J, was substantially damaged during a landing at Mount Holly Airport (VAY), Mount Holly, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot received a minor injury, and the passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Doylestown Airport (DYL), Doylestown, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, the accident occurred during a second landing attempt to runway 26. During the first attempt, there was a "strong, gusty, 90-degree crosswind (30-35 knots)." The pilot delayed deployment of the landing gear during until just before touchdown. He then determined that there was insufficient runway to complete the landing, and retracted the gear for a go-around.

After retraction of the landing gear, and before the aircraft climbed, the propellers of both engines struck the runway several times. The pilot then climbed to traffic pattern altitude, completed the traffic pattern, and returned for a second landing attempt. The second approach was "normal", until he retarded the throttles for landing, about 100 feet above the runway. The airplane "suddenly" stalled, and he advanced the throttle for a second go-around. However, the airplane continued to descend, struck the nose gear on the runway, and veered into the grass before it came to rest.

A witness, who was a certificated commercial pilot, said he was at the approach end of runway 26, about 100 feet south of the runway during both approaches. During the first approach, from base leg through runway touchdown, the airplane's landing gear was retracted. The airplane came over the runway in excess of 100 knots, and he thought the pilot was on a low approach. Instead, the airplane settled down toward the runway, which the propellers struck several times, and the airplane then climbed out into the traffic pattern.

After the go-around, the landing gear came out on the crosswind leg, and the airplane completed the traffic pattern. "Everything seemed fine until he was down on final, then he seemed to lose control. He came in and just slammed it into the runway. In fact, it looked like he came down right before the runway. He really hit hard, and collapsed the left landing gear. Amazingly, he tried to go around again. He applied full power, pitched up, and banked, but the airplane stalled."

A second witness, who was also a commercial pilot, stated that he was on the parking apron when he noticed the accident airplane. The airplane was traveling the length of the runway with the landing gear retracted, and the propellers were "just whacking the pavement all the way down." The airplane then climbed out, completed a traffic pattern, and approached the runway for a second landing attempt. According to the witness:

"It appeared to me he came in extremely hot. He came in about 30 or 40 knots above Vref, and about 15 to 20 feet left of centerline. He came screaming in, hit the runway, there was this huge plume of water, and the plane shot up in the air about 70 to 85 degrees nose high. He gunned it, the engines were screaming, and it kind of hung there about 40 to 50 feet in the air, like a helicopter effect. Then, it rolled left, and it was in a stall. It hit the ground left-wing-low and eventually came to rest facing 90 degrees to the runway."

Other witnesses provided similar accounts.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent third class medical certificate was issued November 15, 2000.

The pilot surrendered his pilot logbooks and aircraft logbooks to his insurance adjuster after the accident. According to the adjuster, the most recent entry in the pilot log was dated June 26, 2001, and the pilot's estimated total time on that date was 3,481.4 hours.

The airplane was a 1975 Cessna T310R. The airplane had accrued 3,637.4 aircraft hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed November 11, 2001, at 3,506.4 aircraft hours.

At 1654, the weather reported at the Mount Holly Airport included winds from 330 degrees at 20, gusting to 26 knots.

Examination of accident site photographs taken by the New Jersey Department of Transportation personnel revealed two parallel sets of strike marks on the runway. Each set of strike marks was oriented 260 degrees magnetic, and were about 12 feet apart. The distance between the #1 and #2 propeller hubs was about 12 feet.

The leading edge of runway 26 was about 12 to 18 inches above the grass apron that preceded it. Three parallel skid and scrape marks, the same approximate distance apart as the Cessna 310 landing gear, were observed in the grass prior to the approach end of runway 26.

During a telephone interview, the pilot was asked about the performance and handling of the airplane. According to the pilot:

"There was absolutely positively nothing wrong with the airplane. The only thing wrong with the airplane was the pilot."

According to a note in the Cessna 310 Pilot's Operating Handbook:

"Experience indicates that retracting the landing gear during an operational VFR go-around, when an immediate landing is contemplated, has been conducive to gear up landings."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's misjudgment of distance, his subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing, and the failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.