What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 15, 2013, at approximately 1951 hours pacific time, a Cessna T310R model aircraft, N712SB, sustained substantial damage following a right main landing gear collapse during landing rollout at San Luis Obispo county regional airport (sbp) in San Luis Obispo, California. The pilot, privacy data omitted, the sole occupant on board, was not injured.
The aircraft, privacy data omittedwas being operated in accordance with 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed by the pilot.
The pilot reported to the federal aviation administration (FAA) investigator-in-charge, that he was operating the subject aircraft for the purpose of performing three full-stop takeoffs and landings at sbp in order to comply with 14 CFR part 91 night currency requirements. According to the pilot, he was in the process of making a second landing when the accident occurred.
Approach to the landing on runway 29 was made with about 22 degrees of flaps extended. The gear down indicator showed three green lights. There was a light crosswind of about 10 knots from 310 degrees. The pilot stated he landed normally, but just after touchdown he felt a slight ?shimmy? In the main gear. He thought this was ?unusual? And that maybe he was carrying a little excess speed. With that in mind, and while looking out for the upcoming taxiway lights to plan his exit from the runway, the pilot reached out to retract the flaps to dissipate residual lift and improve braking efficiency. In doing so, the pilot mistakenly grabbed and raised the gear switch.
As soon as he realized what he had done, he immediately lowered the gear switch. Unfortunately, it was too late; the right main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft began to veer to the right. The pilot was able to steer the aircraft onto the grass adjacent to the runway. Once the aircraft came to a stop, he shut down the left engine, shut off the fuel and the electrical power and quickly exited the aircraft. The right engine incurred a propeller strike against the ground and sudden engine stoppage.
In the pilot?s written statement, he indicated that he always strives to be safe and professional in his flying. Moreover, in reviewing the events of the evening of the accident, he has come to realize that except in cases of extreme performance (I.e., short-field landings), there is no need to alter the configuration of an aircraft until fully stopped on the taxiway, and after safely exiting the active runway.
The aircraft maintenance records revealed the last annual inspection was complied with on October 1, 2012.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 1951 HOURS PACIFIC TIME, A CESSNA T310R MODEL AIRCRAFT, N712SB, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (SBP) IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS NOT INJURED.
THE AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WAS BEING OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED BY THE PILOT.
THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THAT HE WAS OPERATING THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERFORMING THREE FULL-STOP TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT SBP IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH 14 CFR PART 91 NIGHT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A SECOND LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
APPROACH TO THE LANDING ON RUNWAY 29 WAS MADE WITH ABOUT 22 DEGREES OF FLAPS EXTENDED. THE GEAR DOWN INDICATOR SHOWED THREE GREEN LIGHTS. THERE WAS A LIGHT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 10 KNOTS FROM 310 DEGREES. THE PILOT STATED HE LANDED NORMALLY, BUT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE FELT A SLIGHT ?SHIMMY? IN THE MAIN GEAR. HE THOUGHT THIS WAS ?UNUSUAL? AND THAT MAYBE HE WAS CARRYING A LITTLE EXCESS SPEED. WITH THAT IN MIND, AND WHILE LOOKING OUT FOR THE UPCOMING TAXIWAY LIGHTS TO PLAN HIS EXIT FROM THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT REACHED OUT TO RETRACT THE FLAPS TO DISSIPATE RESIDUAL LIFT AND IMPROVE BRAKING EFFICIENCY. IN DOING SO, THE PILOT MISTAKENLY GRABBED AND RAISED THE GEAR SWITCH.
AS SOON AS HE REALIZED WHAT HE HAD DONE, HE IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE GEAR SWITCH. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS TOO LATE; THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP, HE SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE, SHUT OFF THE FUEL AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER AND QUICKLY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT ENGINE INCURRED A PROPELLER STRIKE AGAINST THE GROUND AND SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE.
IN THE PILOT?S WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE INDICATED THAT HE ALWAYS STRIVES TO BE SAFE AND PROFESSIONAL IN HIS FLYING. MOREOVER, IN REVIEWING THE EVENTS OF THE EVENING OF THE ACCIDENT, HE HAS COME TO REALIZE THAT EXCEPT IN CASES OF EXTREME PERFORMANCE (I.E., SHORT-FIELD LANDINGS), THERE IS NO NEED TO ALTER THE CONFIGURATION OF AN AIRCRAFT UNTIL FULLY STOPPED ON THE TAXIWAY, AND AFTER SAFELY EXITING THE ACTIVE RUNWAY.
THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLIED WITH ON OCTOBER 1, 2012.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.