Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 310I near Burlington, VT — 2012-10-02

Final reportERA13LA005
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Date
2012-10-02
Location
Burlington, VT, USA
Airport
BTV
Aircraft
CESSNA 310I
Registration
N8025M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Taxi

Probable cause

The collapse of the left main landing gear due to a failure of the left main gear bellcrank pin for reasons that could not be determined because the pieces of the fractured bellcrank pin were not located.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he landed the multiengine airplane without incident and while taxiing, the left main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the left main gear bellcrank pin separated from its bushing. The pin was not located; however, metallurgical examination of the left main gear bellcrank and retraction link revealed significant deformation and fracturing of the bellcrank bushing consistent with a very large force applied along the axis of the link. The deformations on the link bore suggested the pin fractured inside the hole and exited the bore as two separated pieces. While overstress conditions seem probable, other failure modes, such as a significant fatigue crack cannot be ruled out since the pin fragments were not located. The airplane was manufactured about 38 years prior to the accident. It had been operated for about 3,675 total hours and 25 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 2 months earlier.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents8

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