20021124038519A

(-23) Pilot's statement: dear ladies and gentlemen, this is my incident report for N6026N, a Cessna T210-M that landed with a gear problem at Lakeland lender regional airport on the evening of 24 November 02 before 10:00 pm. The flight began at charleston int. Airport and was bound for Lakeland with only the pilot on board. The plane was fueled at chs and a thorough preflight inspection was accomplished before takeoff. The flight home was at night, VMC and without incident until landing. The weather at Lakeland was night VMC with light and variable winds. Runway 9 was the active and kilo was the ATIS information. I came from ocala and was instructed by the tower to report a 3-mile left base to rwy 9. I crossed I-4 at about 1,200 feet and 140 knots, reported 3 miles and began to configure the plane. I lowered 10* of flaps and the gear around 130 knots. The flaps and gear extended and appeared to be normal. The tower cleared me to land rwy 9 and I acknowledged the call. I checked the gear light and saw my green light. I lowered 20* of alps below 115 knots and just before turning base. The power was back just below 1500 RPM and I looked to be on a good visual glide path for rwy 9. On final I lowered 30* of flaps checked my gear light again and then focused on the runway. At night I cannot see my gear and trusted my gear light. My power was back crossing the threshold and I looked to be on speed and on center. My aim point was 1,000 feet down on centerline. I flared the airplane for touchdown and felt the main gear followed by the nose wheel touchdown. I thought that I had greased the landing and was quite happy. The plane seemed to hold a landing attitude as it slowed down. The plane then began to lean back as if the gear was rolling back. At first I thought I had a flat tire, but the plane seemed to lean back too FAR. I applied ailerons, brakes and nose wheel steering in an attempt to keep the plane straight. I thought first of applying power to go around, but chose to fight to keep the airplane on centerline and stop straight ahead due to slow speed and controllability. As the plane came to a stop it hooked to the left 180* and came to rest facing the approach end on the runway and leaning on its right side. I shut the engine off and called the tower to report the mishap and that I was all right. I cleaned up the plane and shut off all the electric switches ayd shut off the fuel then, I climbed out and inspected the plane. I saw the plane resting on its main landing gear to the aft. I saw fuel leaking from the right wing tip and turned the radio on again to request a fire truck and then I waited for them to show. In closing I need to point out that I checked the gear light on base and on final and saw a green light. At no time did the gear warning horn go off and I assumed that I had safe gear. When the plane came to a stop and was resting on the collapsed gear the green light remained on. I spoke with peter, a mx inspector from the FAA that evening and told him of this fact at the airplane. At night I cannot see my gear outside and I had safe indications that the gear was down and locked, but it was not. This incident took me by surprise, but I believe that I did the best that I could do. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me. Timothy l. stevens, maj, usafr charleston afb, SC