Overview
On February 13, 2020, a Cessna T210M (serial number 21061616) operated by a private pilot with one passenger was conducting a maintenance efficiency flight. The flight originated from Eulogio Sánchez Airport (SCTB) and included planned touch-and-go maneuvers at Santo Domingo (SCSN), Viña del Mar (SCVM), and La Victoria de Chacabuco (SCVH) before returning to SCTB.
Flight Sequence
The pilot departed SCTB at 11:50 local time with a planned total flight time of 2 hours and fuel endurance of 3.5 hours. Touch-and-go landings at SCSN and SCVM were completed without issue. While entering the left downwind leg for runway 21 at SCVH, the pilot performed the pre-landing checklist and lowered the landing gear lever. The green down-and-locked indicator light did not illuminate. The pilot then executed the emergency gear extension procedure, but the gear also failed to lock down.
Landing Gear Issue
Unable to confirm the gear position, the pilot flew to Eulogio Sánchez Airport (SCTB) to request a visual inspection from the control tower. The aircraft made four low passes in front of the tower, and the controller reported that the nose gear was extended but the main gear was down and not locked. The pilot declared an emergency and requested clearance to land at Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (SCEL), which was granted for runway 17R.
Diversions and Landing
At SCEL, the pilot was authorized to land on runway 17R. Upon touchdown at 15:13 local time, the main landing gear retracted. The aircraft slid on its belly for approximately 72 meters, then veered left, skidded another 120 meters, and came to rest 30 meters off the left edge of the runway, 692 meters from the threshold. Both the pilot and passenger were uninjured.
Examination and Findings
Inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the fuselage, left horizontal stabilizer, and tail cone. The main landing gear was retracted, and the aircraft was resting on its ventral fuselage. Hydraulic fluid was found leaking from the lower fuselage and main gear doors; the hydraulic reservoir was empty. The emergency extension system, which shares the same hydraulic fluid, also contained no fluid. Examination found that the hydraulic pressure hose had become disconnected from its fitting at the nose gear actuator. The hose had been installed new on December 24, 2015, and was due for replacement every 5 years per the maintenance program. The most recent 50- and 100-hour inspection on February 11, 2020, included a detailed check of the hydraulic system and operational tests, with no discrepancies noted. Functional tests after the accident, using a replacement hose and refilled hydraulic fluid, confirmed that the landing gear operated normally in both normal and emergency modes, with proper indicator lights and warnings.