Cessna 182TR N4978T

Summary

On 7 June 2005 at about 20:45 local time, a Cessna 182TR registered N4978T was involved in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 2005 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Wheeling, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Palwaukee Airport (PWK)

Coordinates

42.1142, -87.9014

Aircraft

Cessna 182TR

Registration

N4978T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Danville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI05LA136

Nobody was injured.

The pilot failed to verify that the landing gear were fully extended and failed to perform the emergency landing gear extention procedures. Factors to the accident included the low hydraulic fluid level, and the weak battery that resulted in a partial electrical failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sustained substantial damage when the partially extended main landing gear collapsed during landing. The pilot reported that the attitude indicator failed during cruise flight about 30 minutes after departure. When he was 10 miles from the airport, he slowed the airplane to 110 kts and put in ten degrees of flaps and lowered the landing gear switch. He reported seeing a green light on the gear position indicator. The pilot reported that both the primary and secondary radios failed, the HSI failed, and that the electrically powered primary altimeter was stuck at 2,900 feet. He reported that he used his portable radio to communicate with the tower. The airplane was on short final for landing with full flaps and idle power when the control tower informed the pilot that the wheels were not down. The pilot chose to continue the landing rather that perform a go-around. The pilot reported, "I did not add power for a go around as it appeared that the full flaps setting and potentially my inability to retract the flaps might lead to my inability to climb sufficiently to do a go around. Additionally, the gear was hanging down below the plane and would have added further drag." The airplane landed on its fully extended nose wheel and partially extended main landing gear. The airplane rolled onto its right wing and horizontal stabilizer and skidded to a stop on the runway. The airplane was taken to a maintenance facility where it was put on jacks in order to check the landing gear system. When the landing gear handle was put in the up position, the landing gear retracted normally. When the gear handle was put in the down position, the landing gear extended, but did not extend to the fully down position. The landing gear hydraulic reservoir was checked for hydraulic fluid. The inspection revealed that the fluid level was below pick-up point of the electrically activated hydraulic pump; however, there was enough hydraulic fluid available in the reservoir for the emergency manual gear extension to operate. Six to eight ounces of hydraulic fluid was added to the reservoir. After the hydraulic fluid was added, the landing gear was cycled 4 to 5 times, and the landing gear retracted and fully extended normally. The emergency gear extension procedures were then performed to pump the landing gear down, and the landing gear went to the fully extended position. The inspection of the battery revealed that it was weak and required recharging.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.