Incident Overview
On February 3, 2011, at 0840 mountain standard time, a Cessna 402C airplane, registration N5802C, was substantially damaged during landing at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico. The accident followed a hydraulic malfunction and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured.
Flight Details
The non-scheduled cargo flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 with a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The flight originated at ABQ, with Las Vegas Municipal Airport (LVS), Las Vegas, New Mexico, as the intended destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that after gear retraction on initial takeoff from ABQ, the hydraulic pressure caution light illuminated and the nose landing gear failed to retract. The pilot performed the HYD PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER GEAR CYCLE and the LANDING GEAR WILL NOT EXTEND HYDRAULICALLY checklists, resulting in unsafe gear indications. He executed an approved flyover of the ABQ tower, and tower personnel reported the gear appeared to be down. During landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, causing substantial damage to the right aileron.
Post-Accident Examination
The day after the accident, the airplane was examined by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors and the operator. The aircraft was placed on jacks, and the landing gear was functionally tested. The system cycled with no anomalies noted. The hydraulic control valve and the landing gear hydraulic shuttle valve were removed for functional testing and contaminant checks. No anomalies were found with either unit.