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October 22, 2006 · Cessna R182 · N5274S

Ames, IA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 22, 2006
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Ames, IA
Aircraft
Cessna R182
Tail Number
N5274S
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CHI07LA011

The airplane was operated as an instructional airplane when the nose landing gear collapsed during landing. The flight instructor stated that he and the dual student did not receive "a green light indicating gear down and locked" when landing. They reported cycling the landing gear several times but could not get a down and locked indication. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the two nose gear down lock actuator pins exhibited fatigue fracture over 70 percent of the fracture surface. Cessna service bulletin SEB95-20 recommends a recurring 200-hour inspection of the down lock pins for looseness. If looseness or movement is observed, Service kit SK210-155 is to be installed prior to further flight. The service bulletin does not provide for the visual inspection of the pins for fatigue cracks. The pins were of the older design, and were reportedly inspected and no looseness was observed. Following the accident, the operator reported that one of the fractured pins was still not loose until he exerted a greater amount of force to check for looseness.

NTSB Probable Cause

The fatigue failure of the landing gear actuator pin and the exterior visual maintenance inspection for cracks not possible by company maintenance personnel.

Full Narrative

On October 22, 2006, at 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna R182, N5274S, operated by Hap's Air Inc., received substantial damage on impact with terrain when the nose landing gear collapsed during landing at Ames Municipal Airport (AMW), Ames, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan. The commercial pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were uninjured. The local flight originated from AMW at 1400. The CFI reported that he was practicing takeoffs and landings with the commercial pilot during a dual instructional flight. During the final landing attempt, the pilots did not receive "a green light indicating gear down and locked." The pilots could visually see that the main gear was extended; however, they could not determine whether the nose gear was locked down. The pilots reported that they cycled the landing gear several times but could not get a down and locked indication. The CFI stated that during the landing, he attempted to keep "the nose wheel off of the ground as long as possible." As the airplane slowed "to nearly taxi speed," the nose gear collapsed. Inspection of the landing gear system revealed that one of the two landing gear down lock actuator pins (part number 1280209-1) was partially extended out of the nose gear actuator assembly bearing end (part number 1280600-5). The extended pin was loose and the other pin could not be moved until company maintenance personnel had to "get rough with it" and at that time looseness of the pin was noted. The pins were cylindrical steel dowels with grooves machined into the outer diameter for a transverse roll pin in the assembly. The groove was cut nearer to one end of the locking pin and oriented to the outer edges of the bearing end when assembled. The two pins and actuator bearing end were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory for a metallurgical examination. The pin fracture surfaces were relatively smooth, flat fracture surfaces with feature typical of fatigue progression in both pins. In both pins, the fatigue initiated at the bottom of the groove on the side nearest the longer portion of the pin. Both pins also displayed multiple fatigue origins around the groove diameter. The total fatigue area was about 75 percent of the groove cross section. Cessna issued SB SEB95-20 on December 29, 1995, recommending a reoccurring 200-hour inspection of the down lock pins for looseness. SEB95-20 stated, in part: E. Visually inspect [down lock] actuator pins while physically attempting to rotate and/or move actuator pins about all three axes in the bearing end. No movement is allowed, as pins are a press fit. F. If any looseness or movement is observed (1) Install SK210-155 prior to further flight Cessna Aircraft Company has designed and manufactured updated down lock actuator pins that have been available through SK210-155 since December 29, 1995. The incident fractured pins were of the older design, and the actuator bearing end had not been modified for installation of the newer pins. The diameters of the locking pin holes in the bearing end were measured at the outer and inner edges. At the outer edges, the hole diameters measured 0.377 inch for the left side hole and 0.376 inch for the right side hole. The diameters at the inner edges of the holes were larger, measuring 0.387 inch and 0.383 inch for the left and right holes respectively. As defined in the instructions for Cessna Service Kit SK210-155, the maximum allowable hole diameter is 0.3760 inch. The airplane was last inspected during an annual inspection on August 1, 2006, and accumulated a total time of 6,406.2 hours at the time of the accident. The company director of maintenance stated that the landing gear actuator pins were inspected within the 200-hour time frame cited in SEB95-20. There was no logbook entry pertaining to the inspection of the pins. The director of maintenance also reported that the airplane propeller (McCauley B2D34C218-13) accumulated a total time of 3,423.6 hours since last overhaul. McCauley Propeller Systems service bulletin (SB) 137W, states in part the overhaul frequency of B2D34C218 model propellers to be 2,000 hours or 72 calendar months, whichever occurs first. The NTSB investigated a fatigue failure of a landing gear actuator pin on a Cessna R182 under IAD05IA066.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:30 CDT
Nearest AirportAMESMUNI (0nm)
Runway31
Runway Length3492 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna R182
Tail NumberN5274S
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-540-J3C5D · Reciprocating · 235
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 21 · Second Class · None
Crew 2Age 21 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind320° @ 10 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 4900 ft
Temperature / Dew Point39 C / 21 C
Altimeter30.12 inHg
Observation Time19:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data