Accident Cessna T337G Pressurized Skymaster N38C, Sunday 16 April 2023
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Date:Sunday 16 April 2023
Time:10:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P337 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna T337G Pressurized Skymaster
Owner/operator:
Registration: N38C
MSN: P3370097
Year of manufacture:1973
Total airframe hrs:2471 hours
Engine model:Continental TSIO360CB
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Cable Airport (CCB/KCCB), Upland, CA -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Upland, CA
Destination airport:Upland, CA
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot reported that, on the downwind leg, the green landing gear indicator lights did not illuminate when he extended the gear. He then went through the emergency landing gear extension checklist and noted that the landing gear pump handle had high resistance, indicating to him that the landing gear was down. He felt excessive drag and suspected that the main landing gear doors were open. The pilot stated that he conducted a low pass over the runway and made a radio call requesting visual confirmation of the gear being down and locked, but no response was received. The pilot reported that flaring the airplane during the landing was very difficult due to the open gear doors and the nose gear and left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown.
Automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the airplane making a normal crosswind turn and then angling toward the runway threshold before making a tight left base turn to the final leg of the pattern. The airplane landed hard, short, and to the right of the runway threshold. The left main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed due to the hard landing, and the left wing sustained substantial damage.
A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed that all three landing gear were in the down and locked position when the airplane touched down. Further examination revealed that the left landing gear limit switch was not functioning properly, rendering it unable to sequence the door solenoid valve to the door close position. This resulted in the main landing gear doors remaining open, causing excessive drag.
The pilot's execution of an overly tight base turn, likely exceeding the critical angle of attack, and the increased drag caused by the open main landing gear doors, likely led to the pilot not properly flaring the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to properly flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly a nonstandard traffic pattern, which resulted in an unstable approach.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR23LA154
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB WPR23LA154
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N38C/history/20230416/1631Z/KCCB/KCCB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
18-Apr-2023 10:00 Captain Adam Added
24-Nov-2024 15:09 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]

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