ERA26LA113

Maintenance personnel’s failure to perform an adequate inspection of the airplane’s landing gear, which resulted in a collapse of the left main landing gear during landing.

During a post-maintenance flight following the completion of an annual inspection, the pilot/ mechanic reported that the preflight inspection, engine run-up, and landing gear retraction after takeoff revealed no anomalies. While on approach to land, the pilot selected the landing gear down and observed that the geardown indicator light did not illuminate. He cycled the landing gear and subsequently performed a low approach; air traffic control personnel reported that the landing gear appeared to be extended. The pilot remained in the traffic pattern and attempted a manual gear extension, but the indication anomaly persisted. He again cycled the landing gear and verified circuit breaker continuity with no change noted. After a second low approach, the pilot elected to land. During the landing roll, as the airplane decelerated and the pilot initiated a right turn to exit the runway, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane’s left wing and left horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway surface, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot/mechanic stated that during the annual inspection, there were no adjustments made to the landing gear rigging and the gear was cycled several times with no anomalies noted. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main gear intermediate push-pull tube was deformed, and the side brace lock link was misrigged. The left hydraulic brake hose was misrouted and not clamped in position. Both main gear side brace lock link springs were corroded and the right main gear downlock tension was below the manufacture’s minimum limits. According to the airplane’s maintenance manual, the landing gear operational and rigging checks are to be performed every 12 months or 100 hours. Based on this information, the inspection of the landing gear that was completed by the maintenance personnel likely was not sufficient to detect and correct these discrepancies before they resulted in the accident.