Overview
On 26 January 2001, at 0530Z, a Cessna 210, registration ZS-ONY, experienced a landing accident at Hoedspruit Military Airport in South Africa. The aircraft was being operated on a private flight and was occupied by the pilot only. The weather at the time was fine.
Flight Details
The pilot, who was also the owner, had taken delivery of the aircraft after a Mandatory Periodic Inspection (MPI) was carried out and certified on the same day at a maintenance facility at Wonderboom. The pilot subsequently departed Wonderboom (FAWB) for a flight to a private aerodrome near Hoedspruit.
Incident Sequence
Prior to landing at the intended private aerodrome, the pilot was unable to obtain a down-lock indication for the landing gear. As a result, the pilot opted to divert to Hoedspruit Military Airport. Upon arrival, the pilot performed a fly-past past the control tower, and the controller commented that the landing gear appeared to be down. However, during the subsequent landing, the nose gear collapsed and the propeller made contact with the runway surface. The aircraft did not depart the runway.
Injuries and Damage
No injuries were reported. The aircraft damage included the collapse of the nose gear and propeller contact with the runway.
Probable Cause
The failure of the two nose gear down-lock pins caused the down-lock mechanism to malfunction.