Accident Details
On May 08, 2013, at approximately 1455 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 310R (registration N6096C) sustained a right main landing gear collapse during the landing roll at Bakersfield Municipal Airport in Bakersfield, California. The aircraft was operated by Barr Air Patrol LLC under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country aerial observation flight. The flight departed from Concord, California, around 1300 with a planned destination of Bakersfield for pipeline patrol. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed and activated.
Sequence of Events
The commercial pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were on board and reported no injuries. The airplane touched down normally on runway 34. Immediately after touchdown, the right main landing gear began to wobble and then folded under the fuselage. Despite the pilot's inputs of left rudder and aileron to maintain directional control, the airplane veered off the runway surface and came to rest in an adjacent dirt area. After exiting the aircraft, the pilot observed that the right wheel had separated from the landing gear, resulting in the gear collapse.
Inspection Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector noted that the airplane struck a runway light as it departed the pavement. Skid marks extending approximately 18 inches from the touchdown area appeared consistent with the right main gear rotating about 90 degrees. The right wheel and lower strut were found separated from the upper strut on the runway. The right main landing gear torque links had separated at the center hinge point, which the inspector believed may have allowed the wheel to rotate 90 degrees to the direction of travel.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination revealed damage to the wheel well area, including ribs inboard and outboard of the gear attach point. The upper and lower torque links themselves were intact. The inspector opined that, based on the damage pattern, there was a mechanical malfunction of the link assembly, which would include the bushing, a sheared bolt, and/or the washer. The last annual inspection had been completed on April 23, 2013, and 37 flight hours had accumulated since then.