On July 28, 1991, a Beech C24R (registration N6713P) operated by Business Insurance Mgmt., Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Morrisville, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the left uplock cylinder, which prevented the extension of the left main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot executed an intentional gear-up landing after failing to extend the left main landing gear. Investigation revealed a failed uplock cylinder prevented wheel extension.
What happened
The pilot reported being unable to extend the left main landing gear during flight operations. To address the situation, the pilot circled the aircraft for approximately 40 minutes with the intention of reducing fuel weight prior to landing. Following this period, an intentional gear-up landing was executed.
The investigation
A subsequent examination of the landing gear system revealed that the left uplock cylinder had failed internally. This mechanical failure prevented the normal movement of the uplock cylinder, which in turn precluded the extension of the left main wheel.
Findings
The left uplock cylinder failure was identified as the primary mechanical issue. The internal failure of this component directly caused the inability to extend the left main landing gear. The pilot's decision to perform a controlled gear-up landing mitigated potential structural damage from an uncontrolled crash.
Probable cause
The failure of the left uplock cylinder, which prevented the extension of the left main landing gear.