What happened
Following the completion of its landing roll, the medium-sized twin-engine aircraft initiated a left-hand 180-degree turn on the runway. The pilot's objective was to backtaxi for departure. To facilitate this maneuver, the pilot applied additional power specifically to the right engine.
During the execution of this turn, the right main landing gear collapsed. An immediate investigation at the scene determined that the failure originated from the collapse of the gear assembly itself.
The investigation
A physical examination of the aircraft on site revealed the specific mechanical failure responsible for the incident. Investigators found that the downlock link of the right main landing gear had failed, leading to the structural collapse under load.
Findings
The sequence of events indicates that the application of power to the right engine during the tight turn placed significant stress on the landing gear. The investigation confirmed that the failure of the right main landing gear downlock link was the primary mechanical issue. This component failure resulted in the collapse of the gear while the aircraft was maneuvering on the ground.