What happened
On 3/1/2026, a Cessna C210A, registered ZS-SOK, departed Port Alfred Aerodrome for Grahamstown Aerodrome under visual meteorological conditions. During the approach to Runway 16, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear but noticed the green indication light failed to illuminate.
In an attempt to troubleshoot, the pilot cycled the gear lever to the up position, observing that all three gears retracted and the red 'up and locked' light activated. However, when the lever was moved to the down position a second time, the green light remained dark. Although the pilot used a wing-mounted mirror to visually confirm the main gear appeared to be down, the nose gear remained retracted. Upon touchdown on Runway 16, the nose gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to pitch forward and the propeller to strike the asphalt. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the propeller blades, engine nacelle, and gear doors, but the pilot escaped without injury.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the aircraft's mechanical state following the incident. Maintenance engineers inspected the nose landing gear wheel well and identified structural damage to the nose gear keel (trunnion support). The inspection revealed that the keel had been twisted, likely as a result of previous hard landings.
Findings
- The nose gear up lock hook failed to disengage, preventing the nose gear from transitioning to the down and locked position.
- The structural deformation of the trunnion support was the primary mechanism preventing the gear from deploying.
- The aircraft was within its mandatory inspection intervals, having completed a 100-hour inspection only 2.7 hours prior to the incident.
- Weather conditions were not a contributing factor to the event.