McKinney, TX, USA
N5870M
CESSNA 340
After a cross-country flight and during the landing roll at the destination airport, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed, causing substantial damage to the aileron. An examination of the landing gear found the bell crank pivot bolt and gear down-lock broken. A review of the airplane's maintenance manual revealed that the landing gear system is to be disassembled/inspected every 10 years/5,000 landings, after an initial inspection after 20 years or 10,000 landings. Additionally, the maintenance manual indicates that the main landing gear bell crank pivot bolt is to be inspected for wear every 3 years (or 500 landings), after an initial inspection at 3 years or 1,000 landings. A review of the airplane maintenance records did not reveal an entry were the landing gear inspections had been accomplished. The records revealed the airframe had accumulated 5,799.3 hours at the time of the last annual inspection, that was dated September 1, 2016. It's likely that the landing gear pivot bolt developed a crack over time, which then failed during landing, causing the gear to collapse.
On September 9, 2017, about 1500 central daylight time, a twin-engine Cessna 340 airplane, N5870M, experienced a gear collapse after landing at the McKinney National Airport (KTKI), McKinney, Texas. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Holubar Properties, Inc., McKinney, Texas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane landed on runway 36, and during the rollout, the left main landing gear collapsed. An examination of the airplane noted revealed substantial damage to the airplane's aileron, and the left gear down-lock and bell crank pivot bolt were broken. A review of the Cessna 340 maintenance manual revealed that the landing gear system is to be disassembled/inspected after 20 years (or 10,000 landings) and every 10 years/5,000 landings after the initial inspection. Additionally, the maintenance manual indicates that the main landing gear bell crank pivot bolt to be inspected for wear, every 3 years (or 500 landings) after an initial inspection at 3 years or 1,000 landings. A review of the airplane maintenance records did not reveal an entry were the landing gear inspections had been accomplished. The records revealed the airframe had accumulated 5,799.3 hours at the time of the last annual inspection, that was dated September 1, 2016. The pilot did not return a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident form (NTSB 6120.1).
The failure of the bell crank pivot bolt which resulted in the left main landing gear collapse. Contributing to the accident was the lack of landing gear inspections in accordance with the airplane manufacturer's maintenance manuals.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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