N840V

On May 25, 1998, about 2012 eastern daylight time, a Gulfstream Commander 690C, N840V, registered to KV Oil and Gas Inc., crashed on landing at the Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot and three passengers reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Stewart, Florida, at 1630.

The flight was on the downwind leg for landing at St. Simons Island, Georgia, when the pilot noticed a gear warning that only two gears were down, and that the left main landing gear was still retracted. The pilot elected to divert to Jacksonville, and attempt a gear-up landing. Before diverting, he elected to climb to 7,000 feet to burn fuel, and talk to maintenance personnel at Jacksonville. The pilot cancelled his IFR clearance and flew VFR to Jacksonville. The airplane landed on its belly, and came to a stop on an unfoamed runway.

Examination of the airplane's landing gear revealed that the left main landing gear failed to extend because the link assembly had jammed against the gear-down lock. It was reported by the FAA that the airplane had just undergone a 5-year landing gear inspection, 22 hours before the accident.