Incident Overview
On 25 August 2002 at 1545Z, a Cessna T303 aircraft, registration ZS-NOX, operated a domestic charter flight from Wonderboom Aerodrome (FAWB) to Mkuze Private Aerodrome. After boarding four passengers at Mkuze for the return flight, the aircraft arrived back at Wonderboom Aerodrome. During the approach, the right-hand landing gear failed to extend. The pilot executed a wheels-up landing under fine weather conditions with a northeast wind of approximately 5 knots and visibility exceeding 10 kilometers. None of the five occupants (one pilot and four passengers) were injured; however, the aircraft suffered substantial damage.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot held a valid commercial pilot license and type rating for the aircraft, was 35 years old, and possessed a valid medical certificate. Total flying experience was 3,271.6 hours, with 12.1 hours on the Cessna T303. The aircraft was correctly maintained according to inspection requirements, and the operator held a valid Class II Air Services Licence and Air Operator Certificate (AOC), the latter expiring on 19 January 2003.
Inspection Findings
Post-accident inspection revealed that the Metering Tube Assembly located in the right-hand oleo strut had failed. This failure caused the oleo leg to extend while the landing gear was still in the wheel well, which in turn prevented the wheel from extending properly, resulting in the right-hand landing gear failure. The report noted that a previous safety recommendation related to this issue had not been implemented, stating that its implementation could have prevented further accidents or incidents.
Probable Cause
The Metering Tube Assembly, located in the right-hand oleo strut, had failed. The latter resulted in the oleo leg to extend whilst in the wheel-well area, which in turn resulted in the wheel getting stuck in the wheel well area, hence the R/H landing gear failing to extend.