Casualties unknown

2004-11-01: Cessna 172RG (N6140R) — Sheble Aviation — Kingman, AZ

Kingman, AZ, US

On November 1, 2004, a Cessna 172RG (registration N6140R) operated by Sheble Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Kingman, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The roller piston and bearing (part numbers 1281019-1 and S1997C7-8) fell out of their assembly, allowing the actuator piston assembly to reindex itself on the main gear pivot assembly, which prevented the left main gear from achieving a locked position in… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft landed with its landing gear retracted after a component failure prevented the left main gear from locking down. Post-accident examination identified that a roller piston and bearing had fallen out, causing the actuator piston to reindex.

Accident Overview

During approach to the airport, the flight crew extended the landing gear, but the gear failed to lock in the down position. Multiple attempts using both the normal and emergency extension systems did not resolve the issue. The instructor subsequently decided to land with the gear retracted, resulting in a gear-up landing.

Component Failure

Post-accident examination revealed that the roller piston (part number 1281019-1) and bearing (part number S1997C7-8) had fallen out of their assembly. This allowed the actuator piston assembly to reindex itself on the main gear pivot assembly, which prevented the left main gear from achieving a locked-down position.

Landing Gear System

The aircraft was equipped with a landing gear extension system that included normal and emergency extension capabilities. Despite several attempts, neither system could rectify the failure. The decision to land with the gear retracted was made after all corrective actions were exhausted.

Examination Findings

The investigation focused on the left main landing gear assembly. The dislodged roller piston and bearing were identified as the cause of the malfunction. The actuator piston assembly's reindexing on the main gear pivot assembly physically blocked the gear from locking down.

Outcome

The aircraft landed with the landing gear retracted. The specific damage to the aircraft was not detailed in the source material. No information regarding occupants, injuries, or operational conditions (such as time of day or weather) was provided.

Probable cause

The roller piston and bearing (part numbers 1281019-1 and S1997C7-8) fell out of their assembly, allowing the actuator piston assembly to reindex itself on the main gear pivot assembly, which prevented the left main gear from achieving a locked position in the down direction.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20041116X01822. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.