CEN10LA128

The flight instructor reported that after departure during an instructional flight, the landing gear was slow to retract, the radios made “clicking noises,” “flickered” and began to fail, and the fuel gauges registered near empty. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. During the landing approach, he attempted to lower the flaps, but there was no response. He instructed the student pilot to lower the landing gear. He said there was no warning horn or annunciator light to indicate that the gear was either up or down. He did not say whether he or the student pilot looked outside to see if the landing gear appeared to be down and locked. The airplane landed with the gear partially extended and veered off the right side of the runway into the grass. The outboard portion of the right wing and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator were bent. The airplane was later ferried to a repair facility. According to the ferry pilot, he recharged the battery and flew uneventfully to the repair facility. The repair facility reported finding no anomalies with the airplane’s electrical system.

On February 21, 2010, approximately 1345 central standard time, a Cessna 172RG, N5404V, registered to and operated by Mach II Aviation Services, Inc., doing business as Wright Flyers Aviation, of San Antonio, Texas, was substantially damaged when it landed with the landing gear partially extended at Lockhart Municipal Airport (50R), Lockhart, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The flight originated at New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ), New Braunfels, Texas, approximately 1330. According to the flight instructor's accident report, it took approximately 10 to 15 seconds for the landing gear to retract after taking off from New Braunfels. As they approached Lockhart, the instructor heard a "clicking sound" on the radio, and the second pilot began having communications difficulties. Shortly thereafter, the radios began to "flicker" and started to fail. He then noticed the fuel gauges registered almost empty. The flight instructor took control of the airplane. In preparation for landing, he attempted to lower the flaps, but there was no response. He instructed the second pilot to lower the landing gear. He said there was no warning horn or annunciator light to indicate that the gear was either up or down. He did not say whether he or the second pilot looked outside to see if the landing gear appeared to be down and locked. The airplane landed with the gear partially extended and veered off the right side of the runway into the grass. The outboard portion of the right wing and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator were bent. After temporary repairs were made, the airplane was ferried to Beegles Aircraft Service, Greeley, Colorado, for permanent repairs. According to the ferry pilot, he recharged the battery prior to departing Lockhart, and flew uneventfully to Greeley. According to Beegles Aircraft Service, no anomalies were found with the airplane’s electrical system. In his accident report, the flight instructor said that the accident could have been prevented if he had "read the emergency checklist and performed the manual gear extension emergency checklist."