N761YH

On January 14, 2005, about 0820 mountain standard time, the landing gear of a Cessna T210M, N761YH, collapsed during touchdown at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, Arizona. Arnett Family, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The personal cross-country flight departed from Mesa about 0730, with a planned destination of San Carlos Apache Airport, Globe, Arizona.

In a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that during cruise flight, approximately 40 miles southeast of Falcon Field, he noticed an electrical low voltage warning. He contacted the Falcon Field air traffic control specialist and declared his intentions to return to the airport and land. He was unable to establish further radio communications.

During the approach to the airport, the pilot moved the landing gear switch to the down position, then visually confirmed that the landing gear appeared to be in the down position. He received permission to land via a light gun signal, and upon touchdown on runway 4R, the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane incurred damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and right aileron.

After the accident, the pilot opined that he should have correctly configured the landing gear in the down and locked position by using the emergency landing gear extension procedure.

According to the Cessna T210M Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), "If efforts to extend and lock the gear through the normal landing gear system fail, the gear can be manually extended by use of the emergency hand pump."