Accident Overview
On April 22, 2014, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 421 airplane, registration N866BS, was substantially damaged when the landing gear collapsed while landing at Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport (KDZB), Horseshoe Bay, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan.
Flight Details
The cross-country flight departed San Antonio International Airport (KSAT), San Antonio, Texas, at approximately 1400 and was en route to KDZB. The pilot reported that when he lowered the landing gear handle, he heard a loud "bang." The nose wheel landing gear did not appear to be extended and could not be seen using the nacelle mirror. Additionally, the green landing gear position lights did not illuminate. The pilot followed the emergency checklist and performed the manual landing gear extension procedure; however, the nose gear did not extend.
Landing and Damage
During the landing on runway 35, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded on the runway with only the nose landing gear extended. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded reported that the bulkhead of the fuselage was substantially damaged. The drive mechanism for the gearbox motor had failed. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.