Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

According to the pilot, the landing gear would not extend while attempting to land in Aspen, Colorado. The pilot elected to divert to Jefferson County Airport while he attempted to trouble-shoot the landing gear issue. The pilot was able to get the nose landing gear to extend but was unable to extend the main landing gear. The pilot performed a normal landing to runway 29R (9,000 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) with the main landing gear up and the nose wheel extended. The airplane came to rest, canted to the left with the left wing resting in the snow. The left horizontal stabilizer was crushed up, during the landing bending the spar.

Examination of the airplane revealed that the hydraulic hose for the landing gear system (part number 52178-4-0095A) had failed, resulting in the loss of hydraulic fluid. A review of the maintenance records revealed no evidence that the hose had ever been replaced. On April 17, 1992, Cessna Aircraft Company issued Service Bulletin (SB) SEB92-8, with regard to the replacement of hydraulic landing gear hoses. The SB stated that compliance is "mandatory; shall be accomplished within the next 100 hours of operation or at the next annual inspection, whichever occurs first..." In addition, the Cessna Model 210 and T210 service manual states that the hydraulic hoses should be replaced every 5 years.

An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies. the failure of the mechanic to comply with the required replacement schedule resulting in the failure of the hydraulic line and the resulting gear up landing.