Accident Overview
On February 9, 2008, at approximately 1845 mountain standard time, a Cessna P210N, registration N4796K, was substantially damaged when the left main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll on runway 24 at the Sky Ranch Airport at Carefree (18AZ), Carefree, Arizona. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to 96K LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona, and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight that had departed Telluride Regional Airport, Telluride, Colorado, at 1700.
Pilot's Account
In a written statement, the pilot reported that after an uneventful flight, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 24 and executed a normal left pattern approach. Shortly after touchdown, during the landing roll, the pilot initially thought he had blown the left tire. A second or two later, the airplane settled onto its left side, veered left, and exited the runway, coming to rest upright adjacent to the runway.
Post-Accident Inspection
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector conducted a post-accident inspection. The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. Examination of the landing gear system revealed that the landing gear warning horn was inoperative due to a disconnected cable between the throttle switch and the warning horn. The gear was cycled to the down and locked position with the airplane elevated on jack stands, and no anomalies were noted.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was determined by the investigation. The reason for the gear collapse is undetermined.