MIA02LA166

The pilot reported half-way into his flight from Savannah, Georgia to Columbia, South Carolina, he noticed a "smoke smell" and "smoke rising in cockpit". About the same time the red "in transient" landing gear light illuminated steady. The pilot positioned the landing gear handle "up" with no results, so he turned off all electrical power, cranked the gear down manually, and declared an emergency with Columbia approach control. He made a precautionary landing to a vacant field, and the right wing collided with a tree. Postcrash examination by FAA and NTSB personnel could not duplicate any "smoke" or overheat condition. The landing gear "power pack" was located behind the cockpit, and evidence of hydraulic leakage at that location was revealed. The inspectors stated that the pilot may have smelled hydraulic fumes.

On September 4, 2002, about 0910 eastern daylight time, a Beech C24R, N6698D, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in the vicinity of Olar, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the commercially-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Savannah, Georgia, for Columbia, South Carolina, about 0840.

According to the pilot, about 25 minutes into the flight, at 2,500 feet msl, he noticed smoke originating from the cockpit. At the same time the red "in transient" light indicating a landing gear position not fully "up and locked" came on steady. He cycled the gear handle to the "gear down" position with no response. He then shut off all electrical switches, performed a manual emergency extension of the landing gear, and elected to conduct an immediate emergency landing to a farm field. Braking effectiveness was minimal and the right wing collided with an oak tree.

According to an FAA inspector, postcrash examination of the aircraft by NTSB and FAA personnel on October 2, 2002, revealed no evidence of heat damage at the electric motor operated hydraulic pump or "power pack" which is used to operate the aircraft's landing gear. Hydraulic fluid was found on the aircraft's belly under and near the power pack's location within the fuselage. The engine was started and all electrical system components except the landing gear power pack, (the wings had been removed by the salvage operator for transportation to the salvage yard) were powered up for a period of about 20 minutes in an effort to produce smoke or fumes in the cockpit. The engine/electrical system power-up was normal. The inspector stated, "This investigation could not duplicate the reported smoke and fumes in the cockpit. It is possible the pilot smelled hydraulic fumes coming from the landing gear motor and he made the decision to make the forced landing."

According to the aircraft mechanic who performed the engine/electrical system power-up on October 2, 2002, the hydraulic power pack's fluid reservoir was full, "up to the threads on the filler pipe" when he was preparing the aircraft for postcrash testing. When asked to recheck the hydraulic fluid quantity on December 6, 2002, the fluid had totally leaked out at the power pack-to-reservoir connection.