Probable cause
The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction’s failure to verify that the landing gear was extended before landing, which resulted in a gear-up landing.
NTSB analysis
The flight instructor reported that at some point between the base turn and final approach, the landing gear selector switch was inadvertently moved to the UP or gear retracted position. Unknown to the flight instructor or the pilot receiving instruction, the airplane subsequently landed with the landing gear retracted and sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage.
Postaccident examination of the landing gear selector switch revealed that the safety notch was worn and allowed the switch to move from the DOWN position to the UP position with minimal force. The worn condition of the safety notch could have increased the likelihood of an inadvertent movement of the selector switch during flight.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA278 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Aug 1, 2026
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- North Little Rock, Arkansas
- Nearest airport
- North Little Rock Municipal Ai (ORK)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 310
- N-number
- N3618G
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1956
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.