Incident Details
A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and his private pilot-rated multi-engine student were conducting touch-and-go landings in preparation for the multi-engine rating. During these maneuvers, the CFI noted that one of the landings was harder than usual, though not overly hard.
Landing and Gear Issues
On the subsequent approach, the flight crew observed that the right gear indicator was not showing a down and locked condition. The tower confirmed that there was a problem with the right gear. All attempts to get the gear down and locked were unsuccessful. Consequently, the CFI made the decision to land with all gear up.
Post-Inspection Findings
An inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the right gear strut housing had failed due to shear and torsion. This failure was determined to be a result of a side load and hard landing.