What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
01/11/2021 At 0700 the operator departed brandywine airport (oqn) on a VFR flight. After takeoff when operator attempted to retract the landing gear, it did not reach the full retract position and the landing gear motor circuit breaker popped.
Pilot in command (PIC) leveled off and cycled the landing gear motor several times unsuccessfully. PIC disconnected the landing gear motor and tried the emergency gear extension in accordance with quick reference card comanche 260 fi and emergency extension cover placard. PIC was able to get the gear partially extended, but it would not go completely down and locked.
PIC confirmed the motor was fully disconnected, but the gear would not extend fully.
An emergency was declared and the aircraft was diverted to New Castle Airport (ilg) for a low pass near their tower. The tower confirmed that the gear was not fully extended. PIC chose to land on runway 27.
The aircraft touched down and the gear collapsed immediately.
The aircraft skid down the runway and came to a stop at the taxiway November 1 intersection.
Damage to the prop, due to prop strike. Minor damage to the engine exhaust, lower engine cowlings and belly of aircraft due to gear up slide.
After relocating the aircraft, the landing gear was inspected while on jacks, the gear had to be forced in the down and locked position due to the binding in the right main gear cable assembly push-pull conduit. Preliminary investigation determined that the binding in the cable assembly caused the main gear breaker to trip and a burning smell from the gear motor. All other components appear to be in good condition. There will be further investigation once the aircraft is located in a hangar for proper disassembly and troubleshooting. This report will be amended if troubleshooting reveals additional causal information.
As the FAA filed it
01/11/2021 AT 0700 THE OPERATOR DEPARTED BRANDYWINE AIRPORT (OQN) ON A VFR FLIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR, IT DID NOT REACH THE FULL RETRACT POSITION AND THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED.
PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) LEVELED OFF AND CYCLED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR SEVERAL TIMES UNSUCCESSFULLY. PIC DISCONNECTED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR AND TRIED THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH QUICK REFERENCE CARD COMANCHE 260 FI AND EMERGENCY EXTENSION COVER PLACARD. PIC WAS ABLE TO GET THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED, BUT IT WOULD NOT GO COMPLETELY DOWN AND LOCKED.
PIC CONFIRMED THE MOTOR WAS FULLY DISCONNECTED, BUT THE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND FULLY.
AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIVERTED TO NEW CASTLE AIRPORT (ILG) FOR A LOW PASS NEAR THEIR TOWER. THE TOWER CONFIRMED THAT THE GEAR WAS NOT FULLY EXTENDED. PIC CHOSE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27.
THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED IMMEDIATELY.
THE AIRCRAFT SKID DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO A STOP AT THE TAXIWAY NOVEMBER 1 INTERSECTION.
DAMAGE TO THE PROP, DUE TO PROP STRIKE. MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST, LOWER ENGINE COWLINGS AND BELLY OF AIRCRAFT DUE TO GEAR UP SLIDE.
AFTER RELOCATING THE AIRCRAFT, THE LANDING GEAR WAS INSPECTED WHILE ON JACKS, THE GEAR HAD TO BE FORCED IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION DUE TO THE BINDING IN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR CABLE ASSEMBLY PUSH-PULL CONDUIT. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE BINDING IN THE CABLE ASSEMBLY CAUSED THE MAIN GEAR BREAKER TO TRIP AND A BURNING SMELL FROM THE GEAR MOTOR. ALL OTHER COMPONENTS APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. THERE WILL BE FURTHER INVESTIGATION ONCE THE AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED IN A HANGAR FOR PROPER DISASSEMBLY AND TROUBLESHOOTING. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALS ADDITIONAL CAUSAL INFORMATION.