BELLEVUE, WA, USA
N2215T
CESSNA A185F
PRIOR TO LANDING THE AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE ON THE LAKE, THE PILOT CONFIRMED BY THE COCKPIT GEAR LIGHTS AND BY VISUAL INDICATIONS ON THE TOP OF THE FLOATS, THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN THE UP-AND-LOCKED POSITION. AFTER THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE WATER SURFACE AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED, WHILE THE LEFT MAIN AND THE NOSE GEAR WERE RETRACTED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT REVEALED THAT THE SCREWS THAT ATTACH THE CASING TO THE PISTON BROKE DUE TO OVERSTRESS UNDER DIRECT SHEAR LOADS.
On May 26, 1993, at 1830 hours Pacific daylight time, an amphibian Cessna A185F, N2215T, nosed over during landing on Lake Washington, Bellevue, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated airline transport pilot and his three passengers were not injured. The flight had originated from Stuart Island, Washington, on May 26, 1993, at 1800 hours, and was en route to Bellevue. The pilot reported that he had cockpit indications, and visual indications on the floats that the landing gear was in the up and locked position for the landing on the water. After touch down, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder, however, the right wing tip contacted the water and the airplane nosed over. Witnesses located on the shore reported that they observed that the right main landing gear was extended, while the left main and nose gear were retracted. After the airplane was retrieved, it was found that the two screws that attach the casing to the piston at the top of the right main gear shock strut were broken. A metallurgical examination of the two screws revealed that, "Examination with the aid of a low power binocular microscope (up to 50X) revealed that both breaks had features typical of over stress separation under direct shear loads." The top edges of the screw holes in the shock strut casing revealed fresh rub marks.
FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SHOCK STRUT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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