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| Date: | Saturday 7 December 2024 |
| Time: | 06:32 UTC |
| Type: |  Cessna 177RG Cardinal RG |
| Owner/operator: | Argon Drilling (Pty) Ltd |
| Registration: | ZS-NDO |
| MSN: | 177RG1260 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3082 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-AIB6D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ladysmith Airport (LAY/FALY) - |
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Dundee Airfield |
| Ladysmith Airport (LAY/FALY) | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Upon arrival at FALY, the pilot flew over the airport and joined the left crosswind leg for Runway 11. During the downwind leg, he engaged the landing gear to extend, but the green light which indicate that the landing gear had
extended did not illuminate. He then checked the mirror view below the aircraft’s wing to visually confirm if the landing gear had extended. The pilot saw that the nose landing gear was down, but the main landing gears were partially extended he retracted the landing gear and extended it again. When he extended the landing gear again, he observed that the main gear had still partially extended whilst the nose gear had fully extended. He the retracted the landing gear once more. Thereafter, he pulled the gear circuit breaker, set the hydraulic control to the gear down position (extended) and manually pumped the emergency gear extension. However, the main gear was still partially extended whilst the nose gear was fully extended. The pilot stated that the emergency gear extension pump became difficult to operate which indicated that the pressure had fully built up; however, the main landing gear still did not fully extend. The pilot then decided to perform a wheels-up (belly) landing.
He contacted the FALY ground crew to assist after landing; thereafter, he followed the gear failure landing procedure and retracted the landing gear. On final approach for belly landing on Runway 11, he shut off the fuel supply and switched off the master switch. The propeller struck the ground as the aircraft landed on its belly; it came to a stop on the runway.
The pilot disembarked from the aircraft; he was met by the ground crew who came to assist. The pilot was not injured during the accident sequence. The aircraft sustained damage to the underbelly and the propeller.
Probable Cause/s and/or Contributory Factors
The main landing gear actuator rod end failed due to fatigue, causing the main undercarriage to partially extend during the landing phase.
Contributory Factors:
Failure to comply with the FAA’s recommendation (SAIB: CE14-17)
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
CAA SA
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 30 June 2009 | ZS-NDO | Pandobair CC / Cloud9 Flight Training | 0 | Runway 01/19, Cape Town International Airport, Western Cape |  |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Jun-2025 12:55 | ASN | Added |
| 24-Jun-2025 12:55 | ASN | Updated |
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