# NTSB CEN12LA387: Cessna R182, N4702R, Santa Teresa, NM, June 21, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 21, 2012, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Santa Teresa, NM - Coordinates: 31.880556, -106.70333 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8806&lon=-106.7033&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Albuquerque FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84053 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA387 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84053/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84053 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA387 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was down and locked before landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R182, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=2072734), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R182, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072734), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R182, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=2072734), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna R182, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=2072734), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, before turning onto a base leg in the airport traffic pattern, he lowered the landing gear and selected the flaps to 10 degrees. He reported that the green landing gear position light illuminated after the landing gear extended and that, while on the base leg, when he selected the flaps to 20 degrees he visually confirmed that the left main landing gear was extended. Shortly after touchdown, the left main landing gear began to retract, followed by the right main landing gear. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway. During the postaccident recovery, as the airplane was lifted off the ground, the main landing gear fully extended, without electrical power supplied, into the down-and-locked position. The landing gear was checked and all three down-lock assemblies appeared to be properly engaged. The airplane was subsequently placed onto jack stands, and no anomalies were observed as the landing gear was cycled several times using the airplane's electro-hydraulic system. Testing of the landing gear position indicating system confirmed that the green position light would not illuminate until all three landing gear were fully extended into a down-and-locked position. The postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have resulted in the main landing gear collapse. In the absence of landing gear extension system mechanical failures or malfunctions, and given the collapse of the main landing gear upon touchdown, it is likely that the landing gear was still transitioning into to a fully extended position at touchdown. Although contrary to the pilot’s account of the accident sequence, the most likely accident scenario is that the pilot did not extend the landing gear with sufficient time to ensure that it fully extended before landing. ## Factual narrative On June 21, 2012, at 1530 mountain daylight time, a Cessna model R182 airplane, N4720R, was substantially damaged when the main landing gear collapsed while landing at Dona Ana County Airport (5T6), Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Marine Military Academy (Air Wing) Incorporated, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for personal flight, which was operated without a flight plan. The flight departed Skypark Airport (KBTF), Bountiful, Utah, about 1130 with 5T6 as the intended destination. The pilot reported that as the flight approached 5T6 he listened to the airport's weather broadcast, which indicated the local wind was from the east at 19 knots, gusting 23 knots. He entered the traffic pattern on a left downwind for runway 10 (9,549 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) and before turning onto base he lowered the landing gear and selected flaps 10-degrees. He reported that the green landing gear position light illuminated after the landing gear had extended. While on base he selected flaps 20-degrees and through his cockpit window visually confirmed that the left main landing gear was extended. Shortly after touchdown, during the landing roll, the left main landing gear began to retract, which was followed by the right main landing gear. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer during the accident. The left wingtip also exhibited some scraping from contact with the runway. During the postaccident recovery, as the airplane was lifted off the ground, the main landing gear fully extended, without electrical power supplied, into the down-and-locked position. The landing gear was checked and all three down-lock assemblies appeared to be properly engaged. The airplane was then repositioned into a hangar for additional testing. The airplane was placed onto jack stands in order to perform several cycles of the landing gear extension/retraction system. No anomalies were observed as the landing gear was cycled four times using the airplane's electro-hydraulic system. During landing gear extension, the nose landing gear would extend first, followed by the main landing gear. The related gear down lock assemblies engaged properly when the landing gear was fully extended. There were no observed hydraulic fluid leaks. In addition to the four normal landing gear cycles, the landing gear extended from the fully retracted position into the down-and-locked position via the emergency landing gear extension system. Testing of the landing gear position indicating system confirmed that the green position light would not illuminate until all three landing gear were fully extended into a down-and-locked position. The amber position light illuminated while the landing gear was in the fully retracted position. The postaccidentexamination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies or failures that would have resulted in the main landing gear collapse. At 1455, the airport's automatic weather observing station reported the following weather conditions: wind from 080 magnetic at 12 knots gusting to 17 knots, visibility 40 statute miles, temperature 38 degrees Celsius, dew point 9 degrees Celsius, altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury. No cloud data or weather type was provided. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4702R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4702R-2019-11-15), registration cancelled 2019-11-15, S/N R18200605, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna R182 - Registry model: [Cessna R182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r182) (registry code 2072734) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R18200605 - Airframe hours: 5406 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Marine Military Academy (Air Wing), Inc. - Registered owner: Marine Military Academy (Air Wing), Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 20, 2011 - Departed: KBTF, Bountiful, UT - Destination: 5T6, Santa Teresa, NM - Airport: 5T6, Dona Ana County Airport, runway 10, 9,549 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review March 30, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 525 total, 42 in this make and model, 503 as pilot in command, 136 in the last 90 days, 83 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 12 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Temperature: 100 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: 5T6 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120621013089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120621013089A), Jun 21, 2012: Cessna R182, Santa Teresa, NM, Substantial damage. On June 21, 2012, at 1520 MDT a Cessna 182, N4702R, registered to marine military academy (airwing) inc. landing gear collapsed on landing at Santa Teresa… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84053. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 717 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371926&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement Provided To FAA (item 2, .PDF, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371927&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20Provided%20To%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Results of Landing Gear Extension/Retraction Examination (item 3, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371928&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Results%20of%20Landing%20Gear%20Extension%2FRetraction%20Examination-Redacted.PDF - Cessna R182 Pilot Operating Handbook (Excepts, Landing Gear Retraction System) (item 4, .PDF, 336 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371929&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20R182%20Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook%20(Excepts,%20Landing%20Gear%20Retraction%20System)-Master.PDF - Cessna R182 Service Manual (Excerpts, Landing Gear Retraction System) (item 5, .PDF, 482 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371930&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Cessna%20R182%20Service%20Manual%20(Excerpts,%20Landing%20Gear%20Retraction%20System)-Master.PDF - Weather Reports (item 6, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40371931&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-Master.PDF - NTSB Correspondence with Pilot (item 7, .PDF, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40372340&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Correspondence%20with%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.