On January 22, 1999, a Cessna 650 (registration N782QS) was involved in an aviation accident near Columbus, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collapse of the airplane's right main landing gear due to inadequate design by its manufacturer. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing on runway 28L, the right main landing gear collapsed, causing the airplane to veer right and strike a taxiway sign. Examination found no component malfunctions, but testing revealed the side brace actuator could unlock under cyclic compressive loading.
Accident Summary
While landing on runway 28L, the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and impacted a taxiway sign.
Landing Gear Examination
Examination of the landing gear system did not reveal any malfunctions or internal component failures.
Actuator Testing
Further testing revealed that the airplane's side brace actuator could unlock mechanically under repeated cyclic compressive loading. When the compressive load was cycled between near zero and values ranging from half the maximum limit to near the maximum limit, the side brace actuator could be induced to unlock in a minimum of 50 cycles.
Environmental Conditions
Winds reported at the airport about 30 minutes prior to the accident were from 170 degrees at 14 knots, with 19 knot gusts.