What happened
On July 26, 2012, a Cessna P210N was performing a cross-country flight involving a student pilot. Following a brief flight to EBZH, the aircraft returned to Antwerp Airport (EBAW) for an ILS approach on runway 29. While the pilot had selected the gear down during the approach, the main landing gear failed to fully extend and lock.
Although the initial touchdown appeared smooth, the aircraft began to swing immediately upon contact with the runway. The aircraft subsequently slid on its belly, eventually coming to a stop on its right wingtip approximately 300 meters past the PAPI. The two occupants escaped the aircraft without injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's hydraulic system and found that the hydraulic oil level in the power pack was below the minimum required level. Additionally, the landing gear pump circuit breaker had been disengaged. While the nose gear was found to be fully extended after the accident, the main gear had collapsed upon impact.
Testing revealed that the emergency hand pump was functional and could successfully extend and lock the gear. However, the investigation also noted that if the gear lever is not moved into the full 'up' detent, the hydraulic pump may continue to run, potentially leading to overheating. The investigation also noted that the pilot did not visually verify the gear extension or check the cockpit indication lights during the approach.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was an undetected malfunction of the landing gear extension, which prevented the pilot from identifying the issue and taking corrective action.
- The pilot did not visually confirm the main gear was down and did not check the green landing gear indication light during the ILS approach.
- The hydraulic oil level was critically low, and the gear pump circuit breaker had tripped.
- The pilot and student pilot were likely focused on the technical aspects of the ILS demonstration, leading to a lack of monitoring for gear status.