On August 14, 1999, a Cessna 210B (registration N9588X) was involved in an aviation accident near Port Angeles, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of maintenance personnel to detect cracked main landing gear saddles during required inspection, and subsequent fatigue fracture of the left main landing gear saddle resulting in separation of the saddle and disabling of the left main gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After takeoff, the left main landing gear failed to lock up. Despite efforts, the gear remained unlocked. The pilot burned fuel and landed in grass with minor additional damage. Post-accident inspection revealed fatigue fractures in both main gear saddles.
Event Description
After takeoff, the left main landing gear would not lock in the 'up' position. The pilot subsequently was unable to get the left main gear into either the up-and-locked or down-and-locked positions, despite repeated efforts to do so. After burning down fuel, the pilot performed a successful landing in grass next to the runway at his destination with the left main gear unlocked, sustaining only slight additional damage in the landing.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident examinations disclosed a fatigue fracture with at least three separate origins in the left main landing gear saddle, a structural component that mounts the gear strut to the airframe. Fatigue cracks were also found in the right main gear saddle. Both main gear saddles had been dye-penetrant inspected for cracks in accordance with AD 76-14-07R2 approximately 3 weeks and 30 flight hours before the accident, with no defects found.
What happened in the 14 Aug 1999 Cessna 210B accident near Port Angeles, WA?
After takeoff, the left main landing gear failed to lock up. Despite efforts, the gear remained unlocked. The pilot burned fuel and landed in grass with minor additional damage. Post-accident inspection revealed fatigue fractures in both main gear saddles.
Were there any fatalities in the 14 Aug 1999 Cessna 210B accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 14 Aug 1999 involved a Cessna 210B, registration N9588X, at Port Angeles, WA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The failure of maintenance personnel to detect cracked main landing gear saddles during required inspection, and subsequent fatigue fracture of the left main landing gear saddle resulting in separation of the saddle and disabling of the left main gear.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…