Accident Beechcraft F90 King Air N15, Tuesday 12 September 2000

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Date:	Tuesday 12 September 2000
Time:	13:37 LT
Type:	Beechcraft F90 King Air
Owner/operator:	Federal Aviation Admin.
Registration:	N15
MSN:	LA-138
Year of manufacture:	1981
Total airframe hrs:	5116 hours
Engine model:	P&W PT6A-135
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Anchorage, AK - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	(KANC)
Destination airport:	(KANC)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
During a practice instrument approach to Kenai Municipal Airport, the airplane's landing gear was extended. The first pilot noted the gear extension seemed different from previous extensions, in that the gear seemed to "hang" momentarily before completing the extension cycle. Coincidental with the lowering of the landing gear, the right engine fire bottle discharge light illuminated. The pilot initiated a missed approach and returned to Anchorage. After arrival in the Anchorage area, the pilots attempted to lower the landing gear via normal extension procedures. The first pilot reported that the indicator light for the right main gear did not illuminate. After confirming that the right main gear was not down, he made numerous attempts to extend the landing gear via normal procedures and manual gear extension procedures. After determining that the right main landing gear could not be extended, the first pilot elected to perform a wheels-up landing to runway 14. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right landing gear upper and lower drag leg had separated as a unit from its attach point on the forward wing spar. The support bracket and rib assembly for the drag leg were still attached to the upper drag link. Two longitudinal formers located between the forward and aft spars were buckled. Black, tire-like, skid marks were noted on the inside surface of the landing gear door. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear was functionally checked. During the extension sequence, it was noted that the right main gear tire jammed on the inside of the outboard landing gear door, preventing the gear from completing its extension cycle. The left main gear and nose gear completed the extension cycle and the two associated down indication lights illuminated.

Probable Cause: The failure of the right main landing gear drag leg (scissors) attach point, which resulted in the landing gear becoming jammed against the landing gear door during the extension cycle.

Accident investigation: