What happened
On May 9, 2004, a private Cessna 210J, registration EI-AWH, was performing a local flight near Rathcoole, Co. Cork. While attempting to land on Runway 09, the pilot initiated a go-around after noticing a tractor/mower operating on the airfield. During the climb, the pilot selected the gear up position, but the left main landing gear failed to retract properly. The gear position indicators failed to illuminate, and the gear handle vibrated without settling into a neutral position.
Despite multiple attempts to cycle the gear and the use of the emergency hand pump, the left gear remained stuck in a mid-travel position. The pilot subsequently requested permission to divert to Cork Airport to utilize available emergency services. After several visual checks by air traffic controllers to confirm the gear's status, the pilot performed an emergency landing on the grass area east of Runway 35. There were no injuries to the pilot or the two passengers, though the port undercarriage sustained damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's landing gear components and found that the port undercarriage saddle assembly had fractured, causing the left leg to dangle during flight. A secondary crack was discovered on the starboard saddle. Metallurgical analysis revealed that the failure of the left saddle was caused by fatigue cracking, with evidence suggesting the crack had been present for a significant period.
The investigation also scrutinized the aircraft's maintenance history and compliance with Airworthiness Directives (AD). While records suggested a dye penetrant inspection had been performed in 1980, the lack of complete logbook entries from various contractors made it impossible to confirm if the original saddles had been replaced with improved versions. Furthermore, the investigation noted that the 2004 annual inspection records did not explicitly document that the required dye penetrant inspection had been completed.
Findings
- The port main landing gear saddle failed due to fatigue failure.
- Ambiguity regarding the part numbers of improved versus original saddles complicated the determination of inspection requirements.
- Inconsistent maintenance record-keeping made it difficult to verify the exact timing of previous mandatory inspections.