What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated after departure from Pensacola Regional Airport the landing gear would not retract. After landing at Pensacola Regional Airport the aircraft swerved to the left. Flight crew attempted to correct with differential power, right full rudder and right brake. Unable to maintain directional control, the aircraft exited the runway to the left, struck a runway light with the left main gear. The left main gear separated from the aircraft. (.4) after takeoff the landing gear would not retract and the landing gear warning horn sounded. The pilot continued to the destination airport and when weather prevented a landing, he returned to the departure airport. After landing the aircraft swerved to the left and the left main gear tire could be heard squealing. The aircraft went off the side of the runway and the left main gear collapsed and separated. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed the washer, which retains the bolt in the left main gear scissors, had failed and the scissors had separated. This allowed the gear to turn and prevented the gear from retracting due to the ground switch on the scis sors not being able to open during takeoff. The failed washer was the subject of Cessna aircraft company, service information letter ME83-37, dated November 23, 1983. This letter called for replacement of this washer with a thicker washer at the next routine 100-hour inspection.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED AFTER DEPARTURE FROM PENSACOLA REGIONAL AIRPORT THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. AFTER LANDING AT PENSACOLA REGIONAL AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT. FLIGHT CREW ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH DIFFERENTIAL POWER, RIGHT FULL RUDDER AND RIGHT BRAKE. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT, STRUCK A RUNWAY LIGHT WITH THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) AFTER TAKEOFF THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT AND THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AND WHEN WEATHER PREVENTED A LANDING, HE RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TIRE COULD BE HEARD SQUEALING. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND SEPARATED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THE WASHER, WHICH RETAINS THE BOLT IN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR SCISSORS, HAD FAILED AND THE SCISSORS HAD SEPARATED. THIS ALLOWED THE GEAR TO TURN AND PREVENTED THE GEAR FROM RETRACTING DUE TO THE GROUND SWITCH ON THE SCIS SORS NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN DURING TAKEOFF. THE FAILED WASHER WAS THE SUBJECT OF CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY, SERVICE INFORMATION LETTER ME83-37, DATED NOVEMBER 23, 1983. THIS LETTER CALLED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THIS WASHER WITH A THICKER WASHER AT THE NEXT ROUTINE 100-HOUR INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.