Incident Overview
On March 12, 2019, at approximately 1336 Eastern Daylight Time, a Beech A100, registration N945WS, sustained substantial damage after the main landing gear collapsed during landing at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The flight was a business operation conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The two airline transport pilots and two passengers on board were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated from Capital City Airport (CXY) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a destination of Rostraver Airport (FWQ) in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. According to the pilot, during the approach to FWQ, the landing gear handle was lowered and a crunching noise was heard. No green cockpit indicator lights illuminated to confirm the landing gear was down and locked. The pilot instructed the co-pilot to circle the airport while he reviewed the emergency procedures for extending the landing gear in the airplane flight manual. Manual extension was attempted but the gear appeared to be jammed. After discussing the situation, the flight crew decided to divert to LBE, which had a control tower and emergency equipment.
The pilot flew by the tower and requested visual confirmation of the landing gear position. The tower controller reported that the landing gear appeared to be down. During the subsequent landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed, followed shortly by the right main landing gear. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway centerline, and all occupants egressed without injury.
Examination and Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and found that the main landing gear mechanical linkage was compromised, and the right main landing gear actuator shaft was broken. The actuator was retained for further examination. During subsequent repairs at LBE under FAA oversight, the right main landing gear actuator was observed to be fractured. Additionally, the actuator pinion bearing had separated from the actuator, which could cause a side load to the actuator and initiate the fracture.