# NTSB CEN14LA357: Cessna TR182, N4602S, Wichita, KS, July 7, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 7, 2014, 17:26 local (22:26 UTC) - Place: Wichita, KS - Coordinates: 37.650119, -97.430648 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6501&lon=-97.4306&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 14, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration; Wichita FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89653 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA357 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89653/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89653 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA357 ## Probable cause Maintenance personnel’s improper landing gear system repair, which resulted in a hydraulic leak and subsequent gear collapse during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: repair](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015/cases.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna TR182, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072735), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during initial climb, the landing gear failed to retract into a locked position. He left the airport traffic area to troubleshoot the landing gear problem, but the gear would not retract or extend properly. He chose to return to the airport to land without the landing gear in the down-and-locked position. During the landing, the left main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in damage to the left wing tip and empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a hydraulic line that attached to the forward left side of the actuator was twisted and ruptured, that the hydraulic fluid had leaked from the hose, and that the hydraulic power pack reservoir was empty. Maintenance personnel had conducted maintenance on the landing gear to repair a hydraulic leak from the nose landing gear actuator 5 days before the accident; it is likely maintenance personnel improperly repaired the landing gear system during the maintenance. ## Factual narrative On July 7, 2014, at 1726 central daylight time, a Cessna TR182, N4602S, experienced a landing gear collapse during landing at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (ICT), Wichita, Kansas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Both pilots were uninjured. The airplane ownership was transferred on the day of the accident to N&M Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was not operating on a flight plan and originated from ICT at 1659. The airplane was purchased about 30 minutes before the flight by N&M Aviation LLC, which was owned by the pilot and another individual. As part of an insurance requirement, the pilot was to receive a checkout with a flight instructor prior to flying the airplane. The flight instructor stated that he met three individuals in the lobby of a fixed base operator at ICT, one of one which was the pilot and the other was the previous airplane owner. They told the flight instructor that the insurance company requested that one of them fly with a flight instructor for a brief familiarization flight before flying the airplane home. The pilot stated that he conducted a preflight with the previous airplane owner in order to gain his insights into checking the airplane systems. The pilot stated that the airplane's preflight was normal including the subsequent engine start and run-up. During the initial climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear and the "green down" light extinguished, but the amber "gear up" light did not illuminate. The right main and nose landing gears remained in down and the sound of the gear motor operating was continuous. They performed the emergency procedures for "gear fails to retract" without effect. Attempts to manually pressurize the hydraulic system and apply positive g-loading using "abrupt maneuvers" had no effect in locking the gear down. The pilot then performed an approach to a land on runway 19L (7,301 feet by 150 feet, grooved concrete) using a soft field technique on runway 19L. During the approach, the pilot was advised by the air traffic control tower that the right main landing gear did not "look quite right" and was also advised by pilot of an airplane holding short of runway 19L that the left main landing gear "really looked bad." Shortly after touchdown, the left main landing gear started to collapse as the airplane yawed right, dropping the left wing. The airplane sustained damage to the left horizontal stabilizer/elevator, the empennage bottom, and the left main wing tip. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that a hydraulic line (part number 52889-4-0102, superseded by part number 53465-3-0102) that attached to the forward left-hand side of the actuator was twisted and ruptured. The hydraulic fluid that leaked from the hose emptied the hydraulic power pack reservoir. The pilot stated thatthe most recent maintenance performed on the airplane was to repair to the nose gear landing strut actuating mechanism which had a minor hydraulic leak. Maintenance to the airplane's landing gear system was last performed by Edwards Jet Center, Billings, Montana. The logbook entry for the maintenance was dated July 2, 2014, at a tachometer time of 30.63 hours, and stated: "Removed nose landing gear actuator and cleaned. Installed new packings in actuator and installed actuator on aircraft. Safetied hardware as required. Serviced hydraulic power pack with hydraulic fluid. Cycled gear multiple times to purge air from system. Serviced hydraulic power pack again. Ops check and leak check good." At the time of the accident, the airplane had a tachometer time of 38.07 hours and an airframe total time of 3,157.5 hours. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4602S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4602S), registered now, S/N R18201353, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TR182 - Registry model: [Cessna TR182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tr182) (registry code 2072735) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R18201353 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 3157.5 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: N&M Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 24, 2013, 38 hours before - Departed: ICT, Wichita, KS - Destination: ICT, Wichita, KS - Airport: ICT, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, runway 19L, 7,301 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 15, 2013; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,578 total, 2 in this make and model, 3,505 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 31; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 21, 2013; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,210 total, 5 in this make and model, 3,072 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 16 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 99 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.69 inHg - Observed at: ICT ## 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 20140707011119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140707011119A), Jul 7, 2014: Cessna TR182, Wichita, KS, Substantial damage. A call was received from the regional operations center (roc) on 7/7/2014 at 6:02 pm local that N4602S, a Cessna TR182 s/n 18201353 had experienced a gear… ## Other investigations on N4602S (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA01LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA111), Jun 1, 2001: Cessna TR182 (N4602S), Boise, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions. Wind gusts were a factor. ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89653. 8.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416485&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416486&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Redacted.PDF - Record of Correspondence - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416487&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Correspondence%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Aircraft Logbook Entry (item 4, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416488&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Logbook%20Entry-Redacted.PDF - Work Order (item 5, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416489&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Work%20Order-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Hydraulic Line Attached to Nose Wheel Actuator (item 6, .PDF, 908 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416490&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Hydraulic%20Line%20Attached%20to%20Nose%20Wheel%20Actuator-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Twisted Hydraulic Line (item 7, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40416491&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Twisted%20Hydraulic%20Line-Master.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.