CHI00LA038

The airplane was on approach. When the pilot extended his gear, he noticed that there wasn't a green light (down and locked) indication on the left main landing gear. The pilot recycled the gear but still didn't get a safe indication. The pilot advised the control tower at Moline, Illinois, of the unsafe gear condition and requested to make a low pass down runway 23 to have tower controllers look at the landing gear. The tower told the pilot that all three landing gear seemed to be down. The pilot came around and performed a landing on runway 09. On touchdown, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid off the left side of the runway. The airplane struck a runway marker and came to rest in the grass, south of the runway. Examination of the airplane's left main landing gear wheel well showed that the landing gear bellcrank was broken and its pivot bolt was bent, and the inboard rod end of the gear lock turn buckle was broken. No other anomalies were found.

On November 26, 1999, at 1427 central standard time (cst), a Cessna 310Q, N7762Q, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed during landing on runway 09 (10,002 feet by 150 feet; dry concrete) at the Moline-Quad City Airport, Moline, Illinois. The airplane subsequently departed the runway and struck a runway marker before coming to rest. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. A visual rules flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The cross-country flight originated at Downers Grove, Illinois, at 1333 cst, and was en route to Moline, Illinois.

In his written statement, the pilot said he was on approach when he extended his gear and noticed that he didn't have a green light on the left main landing gear. The pilot said he recycled the gear and still did not get a safe indication. The pilot advised the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Moline of the unsafe gear condition and requested to make a low pass down runway 23 to have tower controllers look at the landing gear. The tower told the pilot that all three landing gear seemed to be down. The pilot came around and performed a landing on runway 09. On touchdown, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid off the left side of the runway. The airplane struck a runway marker and came to rest in the grass, south of the runway.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage at the Moline-Quad City Airport. The leading edge of the airplane's left wing, beginning outboard of the left engine nacelle and running outward to the left tip tank, was crushed inward. The upper and lower wing skins showed heavy buckling. The forward spar was bent aft and buckled. The left aileron was bent upward. The bottom of the left tip tank was scraped, bent inward, and broken open. The left propeller blades were curled back at the tips. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination of the left main landing gear wheel well showed that the landing gear bellcrank was broken and its pivot bolt was bent, and the inboard rod end of the gear lock turn buckle was broken.

Examination of the engine, engine controls, and remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.