Overview
On Wednesday, 15 December 2021, at approximately 0926Z, a Cessna 310Q aircraft with registration ZS-BRO was involved in an accident during the landing roll at Rand Aerodrome (FAGM) in Germiston, Gauteng province. The aircraft was conducting a training flight under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) by day. There were two persons on board: a flight instructor (FI) and a student pilot (SP). Neither occupant was injured, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
Sequence of Events
The flight departed FAGM at approximately 0852Z for a training flight to the Johannesburg South General Flying area (GFA), with the intention to land back at the same aerodrome. Upon returning, during final approach for landing on Runway 35, the crew followed the pre-landing checklist and selected the gear lever to the down position. The three green lights illuminated, indicating that all three landing gears were down and locked. The FI reported that the approach and landing were normal. However, halfway through the landing roll, the left side of the aircraft began to sink, followed by the left-side propeller blades tips contacting the runway surface. As the aircraft slowed and veered left off the runway, the left wing tip touched the grass. The aircraft came to a stop facing opposite the approach direction approximately 45 metres from the runway edge. The FI then switched off the master, magnetos, and fuel selector valve before disembarking with the SP.
Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that the left main landing gear had collapsed. The left main landing gear trunnion upper clevis and bell crank lower lug were fractured, with pieces found on the runway. The left propeller blades exhibited bent tips and abrasion marks from contacting the runway. The landing gear lever was found in the down and locked position inside the cabin. Metallurgical examination of the fractured components showed no evidence of pre-existing fatigue, indicating failure due to a single overload during landing. No defects were found in the engine or other systems. The aircraft's weight and balance were within limits, and no outstanding maintenance issues were noted.
Probable Cause
It is likely that the aircraft was unstable on approach and landed hard, resulting in the left main landing gear collapsing and the aircraft veering off the runway.