ANC05LA026

The pilot/mechanic re-rigged the airplane's retractable landing gear, and after performing retraction tests on the ground, he took the airplane for a test flight. Upon returning to the airport the right main gear would not indicate down and locked, even after an additional manual retraction and extension. The pilot flew by the air traffic control tower, where a controller observed that the gear was down but could not confirm it was locked in place. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, damaging the right aileron. An inspection of the landing gear revealed a fractured locking link end fitting in the retraction/extension system.

On February 8, 2005, about 1030 eastern standard time, a Cessna 411A airplane, N258JM, sustained substantial damage damaged following the collapse of the right main landing gear during landing at the North Perry Airport, Hollywood, Florida. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) maintenance test flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot/mechanic and sole passenger were not injured. The flight departed the North Perry Airport about 0930, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on February 9, the pilot, who is a certified aircraft mechanic, said the airplane had previous landing gear synchronization problems. He said he re-rigged the gear, and conducted retraction tests on the ground. He said the test flight was uneventful until returning to land, when he did not get a green gear down and locked indicator light for the right main landing gear. He said he flew by the airport control tower twice, and the tower operator said the gear was down, but could not confirm it was locked. The pilot said he returned to a training area where he performed a manual retraction and extension of the landing gear. He said he flew by the tower again, and was told the landing gear was down. He said during the landing roll the right main landing gear collapsed. He said the right main gear and gear doors were damaged, and that the right aileron would have to be replaced. During an examination of the landing gear system by the pilot/mechanic, a fractured locking link end fitting was found.