N1773X

On December 4, 1999, about 1407 Eastern Standard Time, a Cessna 210L, N1773X, was substantially damaged while landing at Ohio State University Airport (OSU), Columbus, Ohio. The instrument rated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight departed OSU about 1245.

The pilot stated that he practiced several instrument procedures, which included two cycles of the landing gear, then returned to OSU. He positioned the landing gear selector to the "DOWN" position, saw the nose gear extended in a mirror, and landed on Runway 26. The main landing gear collapsed, the airplane skidded approximately 150 feet, and came to rest on the runway.

The pilot added that he heard a horn just before touchdown, but thought it was a stall warning horn. Additionally, he could not be certain that the "...green (landing gear) light was on." In retrospect, he believed the main landing gears partially extended, but were forced back into a retracted position upon landing.

The pilot stated that in the past, he had been told by the president of the flying club that the landing gear motor occasionally overheated. The president would ask that the gear not be cycled too often.

The pilot completed two flights in the airplane with a flight instructor, prior to the accident. During those two flights, the landing gear was kept in the extended position because of the past problems with the motor. He was never exposed to the sound of the landing gear warning horn during his two instructional flights. The accident flight was his first flight in the airplane as pilot-in-command.

A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the wreckage. He observed damage to the horizontal stabilizer, fuselage, right wing, and nose landing gear. The Inspector also observed the landing gear motor circuit breaker in the tripped position. He added that the problem with the landing gear motor was unable to be reproduced during the last annual inspection, which was performed about 4 months prior to the accident. The airplane was returned to service..

The president of the flying club stated that the motor was tested after the accident, and the problem could not be reproduced. The motor was shipped to the manufacturer for examination and overhaul. He added that the Landing Gear Warning System could be checked before each flight by retarding the throttle to idle and depressing the green gear-down position indicator half way in. After the accident, the warning system was checked and no discrepancies were found.