Primary finding
Probable cause
Failure of the left landing gear actuator for reasons that could not be determined because the actuator was not made available for examination.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The flight instructor and commercial-rated pilot receiving instruction departed the airport. When the commercial pilot retracted the landing gear, the pilots both heard a loud "clang" from the vicinity of the left main landing gear. The pilots lowered the landing gear; the right main gear extended but the left main gear did not extend. The pilots recycled the landing gear and then attempted the emergency gear extension procedure, which were both unsuccessful in lowering the left main gear. The pilots flew to the airport and the tower controller reported that the gear was partially extended. The instructor then attempted several maneuvers to get the gear to go down and lock, but these had no effect. When the pilots determined that they would not be able to lower the left main landing gear, the flight instructor performed an intentional gear-up landing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a fractured left main landing gear actuator. Numerous attempts to obtain the broken actuator from the operator were unsuccessful, and a detailed examination of the actuator was not possible.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 17, 2015, about 1545 central daylight time, a Cessna 172RG airplane, N6511V, was substantially damaged when it landed gear up at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport (KANE), Minneapolis, Minnesota. The flight instructor and the commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The airplane was registered to Kilo Delta LLC and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. The flight originated from KANA about 1500.According to the pilot after conducting a landing at another airport, they taxied and departed. On departure, when the commercial pilot retracted the landing gear, they heard a loud "clang" sound from the vicinity of the left main landing gear. They lowered the landing gear and were unable to get the left main landing gear to extend. Using the normal and emergency extension procedures, they were still unable to get the left main landing gear to extend. They decided to land gear up at KANE. An examination of the airplane found damage to the bulkhead and a fractured left landing gear actuator. Numerous attempts to obtain the broken actuator from the operator were unsuccessful and a detailed examination of the actuator was not possible.