On September 7, 2000, a Cessna 177RG (registration N2035Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Mountain Home, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the landing gear to extend due to the empty hydraulic reservoir. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During approach, the landing gear failed to extend. Manual pump attempts were unsuccessful, leading to a gear-up landing with emergency personnel standing by. Investigation revealed an empty hydraulic reservoir.
Incident Overview
During an approach to land, the landing gear did not extend. The pilot attempted to manually pump the landing gear down, but that failed to extend the landing gear. The pilot then elected to land gear-up at an airport where emergency personnel were in place.
Post-Landing Examination
Examination of the landing gear's hydraulic reservoir revealed that it was empty. The airplane underwent its last annual inspection 16 days and 8 flight hours prior to the accident.
Additional Details
No other systems or components were noted as contributing factors in the source material. The investigation focused solely on the hydraulic reservoir condition.