On September 26, 1998, a Cessna 210L (registration N300EW) operated by Flight Express was involved in an aviation accident near Orlando, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A 6-8 inch crack on the right main landing gear strut, which allowed the hydraulic fluid to escape from the system, along with a power pack sequencing valve failure which allowed the main landing gear to fold on landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot experienced an unsafe landing gear indication, lost her glasses while visually inspecting the gear, then made a night landing without them, resulting in main gear collapse and substantial damage. She was not injured.
Incident Details
According to the pilot, an unsafe landing gear indication occurred prior to landing at her destination. She then stuck her head out of the airplane's window to visually inspect the landing gear, allowing her eyeglasses to be blown off. After consulting with her company, it was decided that she would return to Orlando, where better maintenance and other facilities were available to address the problem. Compounding the landing gear issue was the fact that the pilot had to make a night landing without her prescribed eyeglasses.
Upon landing, the main gear collapsed. The airplane skidded and performed a 180-degree turn on the runway, coming to rest in a nose-high attitude with the weight of the airplane on the horizontal stabilizer. This resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot was not injured.
Post-Crash Inspection
A post-crash inspection of the airplane by company maintenance personnel revealed a crack in the right main landing gear actuator and that the power pack sequencing valve was operating incorrectly.