Incident Overview
On May 21, 2011, at 1025 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210M, registration N6850B, was substantially damaged during a gear-up landing at Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB), Pueblo, Colorado. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant and also the owner and operator, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, he departed Pueblo to conduct air work in the local area. After a normal takeoff, when the landing gear was retracted, he heard a "very unusual sound" that continued until the gear cycle was complete. He also noticed an amber gear warning light. The pilot leveled off at 7,500 feet and began troubleshooting by referencing the emergency procedures in the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), which included two attempts to manually extend the gear. The pilot then checked the hydraulic fluid reservoir and found it empty. He advised the tower of his situation, and tower personnel suggested placing a quart of engine oil in the hydraulic fluid reservoir and reattempting a gear extension. The pilot added the oil and made another attempt to manually extend the landing gear, but to no avail.
Landing and Aftermath
The pilot then flew by the control tower, and tower personnel reported that no gear was visible. The pilot subsequently performed a no-gear landing as directed by the POH on Runway 26R. According to the Pueblo Airport Operations Incident/Accident Report, the airplane landed with the nose gear down and locked, but the main landing gear was not down and locked. The airplane touched down approximately 1,000 feet from the runway threshold. Upon touchdown, the nose gear remained extended while the main landing gear retracted. The airplane skidded on its belly and tail before coming to rest approximately 400 feet east of taxiway A10. There was no fire.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and reported substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. According to a representative of the repair facility that fixed the airplane, an o-ring in the nose gear actuator piston had failed. Additionally, a seal in the emergency extension system had also failed. After replacing the failed o-ring and seal, the landing gear functioned normally.
Damage Assessment
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The main landing gear retracted during the landing, causing the fuselage to skid along the runway. No other damage details were provided in the source.