EUNICE, LA, USA
N100CA
CESSNA 421B
SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING A LANDING. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A DITCH. THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER STRIKING THE DITCH. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT GEAR REVEALED THAT A BOLT IN THE LEFT BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY, PN 5041001-5, HAD SHEARED. ALSO, ONE EAR OF THE LOWER CLEVIS ON THE BELLCRANK HAD BROKEN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE CHARACTERISTICS WERE INDICATIVE OF AN OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. RESEARCH OF THE CESSNA 421B LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE COULD OCCUR IF THE LANDING GEAR MECHANISM IS IMPROPERLY RIGGED. HOWEVER, NO DETERMINATION WAS MADE CONCERNING THE ADEQUACY OF THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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