History of Flight
On 16 November 2008 at approximately 1500Z, a pilot departed from Kitty Hawk Aerodrome's Runway 01 in a Cessna T206H aircraft for a private flight. During takeoff rotation, the pilot perceived a shudder emanating from the landing gear. Deciding to investigate, the pilot completed one circuit and prepared to land back on Runway 01.
On touchdown, the shudder intensified. The pilot attempted to keep the aircraft straight and reduce speed as much as possible given the runway length. After shutting down the engine and selecting the fuel selector to off, the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway and came to an abrupt stop as the left-hand main undercarriage collapsed.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft sustained minor damage to the left-hand undercarriage and left-hand horizontal stabilizer. No other damage was reported.
Injuries
No persons were injured during the incident.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 40, held a valid Commercial Pilot Licence with an Instrument and Night Rating. He reported 806.8 total flight hours, with 512.6 hours on the Cessna 206 type. His medical certificate was valid until 30 April 2009, and he had no previous accidents or restrictions.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna T206H (serial number T206-08238) was manufactured in 2000 and registered to Handypro CC, South African registration ZS-OXI. Total airframe time at the incident was 693.9 hours. The last major periodic inspection was conducted on 6 June 2008 at 656.8 hours, with 37.1 hours flown since. The engine (Lycoming T10540 AJ1A) had 562.9 hours since new, and the propeller (McCauley B3D36C432-C) had 646.8 hours since new; both were within their TBO limits.
Meteorological Conditions
Wind was from 360° at 5 knots, temperature 22°C, visibility clear, and cloud cover 5/8 at over 10,000 feet. Weather was not considered a factor in the incident.
Probable Cause
Metallurgical analysis of the fractured components (inner clamp bracket and bolts from both main undercarriage assemblies) concluded that the left-hand inner bracket attachment bolt sheared under low-cycle, high-strain conditions over an undetermined period. The bolt had signs of possible over-torque or exposure to incorrect tooling during fitment, possibly related to previous forced landing incidents. After the shear fracture, the bolt was held in place for some operational time until a secondary overload fracture occurred, allowing the left main undercarriage arm to move outward and collapse. The probable cause of the incident was the collapse of the left-hand undercarriage due to the fractured inner clamp bracket and bolts.
Additional Information
The aircraft had been involved in two previous forced landings (in February and May 2001) due to engine failures. It could not be determined from maintenance records whether the relevant bolts had been replaced after those events. The current owner reported operating primarily from asphalt runways, while the previous owner may have used dirt runways, but no causal link was established.