Pilot Debrief

Cessna T210 near San Luis Obispo, CA — 2018-09-15

Final reportWPR18LA264
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Date
2018-09-15
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Airport
SBP
Aircraft
Cessna T210
Registration
N5340Y
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The failure of the landing gear extension motor due to wear, which resulted in the right main landing gear not fully extending and locking into place during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to ensure that all three landing gear were down and locked before landing.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that during the approach to land after a cross-country flight, he lowered the landing gear and felt the gear extending into place. After visually observing the left main landing gear out the window, he thought that everything was normal for landing. As the airplane contacted the runway about 65 to 70 knots, he felt a bump from the right as the nose landing gear contacted the runway. The airplane veered to the right as it exited the runway, then completed a 180° turn before coming to rest in the runway safety area; the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator impacted the ground and were buckled upward. The pilot reported that he did not remember seeing the landing gear indicator lights during the approach, nor did he hear the landing gear warning horn; however, the pilot was wearing a noise-cancelling headset during the flight that could have prevented him from hearing the warning horn. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear was collapsed. The landing gear extension motor was replaced, and no anomalies were noted when the landing gear was tested; the warning horn sounded, and landing gear indicator lights illuminated during the testing. It was revealed during the examination that the landing gear extension motor on the airplane at the time of the accident was the original pump installed during the airplane's manufacture about 37 years before the accident. The motor was disassembled and had internal wear, which likely prevented the landing gear from fully extending and locking into place during landing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have verified landing gear status before landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents4

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