Incident Sequence
The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, during the climb, the landing gear indicator failed to show an up and locked position. He cycled the landing gear, but the indicator still did not confirm the gear was up and locked. The aircraft subsequently landed. After touchdown, the airplane rolled approximately 300 feet when the landing gear collapsed.
Damage
The gear collapse resulted in substantial damage to a bulkhead, the engine mounts, the firewall, and the propeller.
Investigation Findings
According to the investigation, the pilot suggested that the landing gear might have been rigged improperly. An examination of the landing gear system confirmed that it was rigged improperly, preventing the locking mechanism from securing the gear in either the up and locked or down and locked positions. Additionally, the landing gear motor brakes exhibited excessive wear. No other anomalies or issues were identified in the system.
Maintenance History
A review of the aircraft's logbook revealed that the landing gear had undergone extensive maintenance approximately 30 hours prior to the incident.