Accident
On February 17, 2013, at approximately 1530 mountain standard time, a Cessna T310R (registration N4941J) sustained substantial damage during landing at Casper Natrona County International Airport (CPR) in Casper, Wyoming. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and a passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was originating at the time with a planned destination of Sheridan County Airport, Sheridan, Wyoming.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, after takeoff he selected the landing gear up and heard an unusual banging sound on the right side of the airplane. The right main landing gear did not fully retract. The pilot cycled the landing gear, but the right main landing gear continued to indicate not down and locked. He then referenced the emergency landing gear extension procedure and attempted to manually extend the gear. All attempts to achieve a down-and-locked indication were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and flew a low approach back at CPR to have the landing gear visually checked. The tower reported that all three landing gear appeared to be down and locked. Upon landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid and made a 180-degree turn before stopping.
Examination Findings
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer. With the assistance of a certified mechanic, it was identified that the right main gear bracket assembly’s gear torque tube bearing had separated from the wing attachment fitting, preventing the right main landing gear from extending to the down and locked position. Further examination of the torque tube bearing showed that it would not rotate and its inner support structure was dry of grease.
Maintenance Records
The FAA inspector reviewed the airplane’s maintenance records and found that all appropriate inspections had been accomplished, with no regulatory issues noted.