CHI98LA091

The pilot reported that he was unable to get the left main landing gear to extend by using the normal landing gear selector or the emergency hand pump. He shut down the engine and landed on the runway centerline with the right main and nose gears extended and the left main gear retracted. He reported that as the airspeed began to slow, the airplane entered an uncontrollable left turn. The airplane traveled into the grass alongside the runway where the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer contacted the ground. Inspection of the left main landing gear revealed a failure of the landing gear saddle. According to an FAA Inspector, the inboard mounting bolt which connects the saddle to the gear leg had sheared. An airworthiness directive (AD) had been issued in 1976 regarding the saddle. The AD was initially complied with, but the recurrent inspections required had not been performed.

On February 3, 1998, at 1803 central standard time, a Cessna 210G, N5842F, operated by a commercial pilot was substantially damaged after landing at Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois, with the left main gear in the retracted position. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The flight originated from the Capital Airport at 1740 cst.

The pilot reported he took off with the intention of flying practice approaches back to the airport. Upon reaching the outer marker for runway 04 during the first approach, he extended the landing gear and noticed the gear down and locked light did not illuminate. He reported he looked out the left side of the airplane and noted that the left gear had not extended. The pilot reported he cycled the landing gear selector handle and used the emergency extension hand pump to no avail. He then informed the air traffic control tower of the situation and decided to land on runway 04. The pilot reported he shut down the engine on final approach and landed the airplane on the runway centerline with the nose and right landing gears extended. He reported that as the airspeed decreased the airplane entered an "uncontrollable turn off the runway to the left." The pilot continued to report "When the aircraft stopped, it fell over on the left wing tip and left horizontal stabilizer."

Post accident inspection of the airplane by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Springfield Flight Standards District office revealed the left main landing gear saddle, p/n 1294151, failed. He reported the inboard mounting bolt which connects the saddle to the gear leg had sheared.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) 76-14-07 R2 addressing the landing gear saddles on selected Cessna 210 airplanes. The AD was pertinent to N5842F. The aircraft logbooks for N5842F show the AD was complied with on October 1, 1976. The logbook entry showing compliance indicates that in accordance with the AD, the next inspection of the landing gear saddle was due to be completed at an aircraft total time of 3185 hours. On August 14, 1981, another entry shows that AD 76-10-07 is due a tach time of 2375. A logbook entry dated July 10, 1998, at an aircraft total time of 3272 hours, states "A/C has new style saddle so AD 76-14-07 is NA." There were no other references to this AD found during the review of the logbooks.

The AD requires a dye penetrant inspection of the gear saddle at each annual inspection even after the improved saddles are installed.