Accident Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II N229AM,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 322841

Date:	Tuesday 15 April 2003
Time:	20:41
Type:	Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II
Owner/operator:	Superior Aviation
Registration:	N229AM
MSN:	TC-305
Year of manufacture:	1979
Total airframe hrs:	31643 hours
Engine model:	Garrett TPE331-10UA
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	Denver International Airport, CO (DEN) - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, CO (GUC/KGUC)
Destination airport:	Denver International Airport, CO (DEN/KDEN)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
While approaching Denver runway 35L, the landing gear was lowered, but did not show three greens. The crew said that this had been a recurring problem with this particular airplane. The landing gear was cycled but this did not solve the problem as it had in the past. After consulting the emergency checklist, the crew felt confident that the landing gear was extended and locked because the hydraulic pressure gauge indicated 2,000 pounds. The airplane landed wheels up. Propeller blade fragments penetrated the fuselage and breached the pressure vessel.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the landing gear system and the flight crew's failure to ascertain that the landing gear was down and locked. A contributing factor was the inadequate maintenance inspections performed by maintenance personnel."

Accident investigation: