20010510017359I

(-23) On a VFR flight from mesa falcon field to Yuma, AZ. Airport, I called Yuma approach control prox 10 miles east and was advised "no radar service." I was told to expect straight in r/w 26 (into the setting sun). Approach was talking to several other aircraft, but gave me no traffic advisorys. Moments later my windshield was full of an opposite direction Cessna caravan. With a violent evasive maneuver by both aircraft, a mid-air was avoided. I continued straight in, on final and was switched to tower control. I completed my landing cockpit check and lowered the landing gear; but on short final, with the setting sun in my eyes and the anxiety of the near mid-air, I elected to go around and retracted the landing gear. On downwind I re-did the landing cockpit check and lowered the landing gear; following the gear down with the manual gear down handle. I felt the gear handle go past center and lock down. With an uneasy feeling I checked the circuit breakers and found the gear motor breaker popped out; on resetting it stayed set. The tower had me fly by the tower three times and confirmed the gear was down. On landing all felt normal but on roll out both main gears collaps ed. The nose gear remained down and locked, which protected the propeller and engine. The annual inspection was completed in March 2001, and a thorough landing gear test was done, including an emergency gear down procedure. A flight permit was acquired a few days later and the a/c was flown to the chandler stellar airpark, with the gear locked down. (Above is pilot's statement).