Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172RG near Greeley, CO — 2017-03-20

Final reportCEN17IA155
Sign in to save
Date
2017-03-20
Location
Greeley, CO, USA
Airport
GXY
Aircraft
CESSNA 172RG
Registration
N6402V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

Failure of the left main landing gear actuator assembly, which resulted in an inability to extend the left main landing gear.

NTSB narrative

At the end of a cross-country flight, the commercial pilot noted that the left main landing gear would not extend. He elected to divert to another airport and land with the gear retracted. Postaccident examination revealed that the left main landing gear actuator assembly housing was cracked across the forward attach bolt hole, which resulted in the inability to fully raise or extend the landing gear using either the normal method or the emergency hand pump. Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) emphasizing the importance of inspecting main landing gear actuator assemblies. This SAIB recommended complying with a supplemental inspection document provided by the manufacturer that prescribed a combination of visual, fluorescent penetrant, and eddy current inspections. The SAIB also included initial and repetitive inspection intervals.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have opted for a precautionary landing earlier after gear malfunction.

NTSB coding

  • Landing gear collapse · Landing

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

Related mishaps