CESSNA T210L near Aurora, OR — 2018-01-02

Probable cause

A collapse of the right main landing gear during the landing roll because the gear would not lock into place. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the alternate landing gear extension procedure before landing.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a cross-country flight. He reported that, while on the downwind leg preparing to land, he activated the landing gear extension lever but that the green DOWN and LOCKED light did not illuminate. The pilot thought that the landing gear was down but performed a fly-by near the air traffic control tower so that the controller could verify the position of the gear. The controller told the pilot that the landing gear appeared to be down. The controller then cleared the pilot for a second downwind approach and landing. The pilot stated that, while preparing to land a second time, he attempted to raise and lower the landing gear, but the green DOWN and LOCKED light again did not illuminate. The pilot looked in the airplane's landing gear mirror and saw that the gear appeared to be in the down position. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage on the right side of the airplane. The pilot indicated that he had forgotten to perform the alternate landing gear extension procedure before landing, which is used when the gear will not lock into the down position. A postaccident examination of the landing gear system, which included multiple gear retraction and extension cycles with the gear locked, revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The right main landing gear collapsed because it did not lock into place, most likely due to the overcenter drag brace not fully attaining the overcenter position.

Analysis

Primary failure mode

Human factors

First missed decision gate

Pilot forgot to perform alternate landing gear extension before landing.

NTSB coding

• Landing gear collapse · Landing-landing roll
• Checklist Use

Evidence available

• 4 docket documents

Docket documents4

• Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
• Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15form
• Record of Conversation - Ian D. Marksother
• FAA Inspector's Landing Gear Inspection Reportreport

Related mishaps

• BEECH 58

  2026-04-11 · Stevensville, MD

• FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTSW

  2026-04-07 · Seguin, TX

• CESSNA 320C

  2026-02-09 · Bartow, FL

• BEECH B19

  2026-02-09 · Umatilla, FL

• CESSNA 414A

  2026-01-05 · Tampa, FL

• CESSNA 414

  2025-08-26 · Maryville, MO