On July 30, 1982, a Cessna 310P (registration N5746M) operated by Southern Illinois University was involved in an aviation accident near Marion, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collapse of the right main landing gear due to the fracture of the torque tube assembly, which exhibited a pre-existing crack at the forward ear and failed in tension at the rear ear after 5706 hours of flight time. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
The right main landing gear collapsed during a touch-and-go landing practice session involving an instructor and student pilot, revealing a pre-existing crack in the torque tube assembly.
What happened
The accident occurred while an instructor and a student pilot were conducting touch-and-go landing exercises. During one of these landings, the right main landing gear of the aircraft collapsed upon contact with the runway surface.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed significant structural failure in the right main landing gear assembly. Investigators found that the torque tube assembly, identified by part number 504-5010-8, was fractured at both the forward and rear ears. Analysis indicated that a pre-existing crack was present at the forward section, while the rear portion failed due to tensile stress.
Findings
The failure of the landing gear was attributed to the structural integrity of the torque tube assembly. The component had accumulated 5706 hours of flight time prior to the accident. The combination of the pre-existing crack and operational loads led to the catastrophic failure during the landing phase.
Probable cause
The collapse of the right main landing gear due to the fracture of the torque tube assembly, which exhibited a pre-existing crack at the forward ear and failed in tension at the rear ear after 5706 hours of flight time.