Landing gear failure and runway excursion involving a Cessna 210L, Garmedi Aircraft Landing Area, Northern Territory, on 19 May 2026

What happened

On 19 May 2026, a non-scheduled passenger air transport flight was planned between Maningrida Airport and Garmedi Aircraft Landing Area, Northern Territory. The flight was operated in a Cessna 210 with a pilot and 3 passengers on board.

At approximately 1400 local time, the pilot conducted a straight-in approach for runway 10 during which the ‘before landing’ checklist was completed. One step in the checklist was to move the landing gear position lever to the down position for landing. On final approach, the pilot observed a green gear-down indication (Figure 1) and used a secondary exterior mirror installed on the wing to visually confirm the landing gear position. The pilot reported to the ATSB that the landing gear appeared to be down and locked.

Figure 1: Landing gear panel

The touch down and initial landing roll all appeared normal to the pilot. After beginning to apply the brakes, the aircraft started to tilt and veer to the right of the runway centreline as the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot attempted to correct the uncommanded right movement with full left rudder and brake, but the aircraft did not respond to the control inputs. As it became clear a runway excursion was imminent, the pilot promptly shut down the engine by cutting the fuel flow to the engine. The passengers were instructed to brace and the aircraft veered off the right side of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, however the pilot and passengers were uninjured.

Engineering notes

The Cessna 210L has a retractable tricycle landing gear system powered by an electrically-driven hydraulic pump. When the landing gear lever is moved to the ‘down’ position, the pump provides pressure to the hydraulic actuators. The actuators move and lock the gear into the selected position and 3 microswitches close to illuminate the gear‑down indicator light (Figure 1). When the light is illuminated, the hydraulic pump pressure is switched to the landing gear door system, effectively stopping the actuators from operating.

After the occurrence, the engineering inspection found damage to the down and lock microswitch for the right main gear and determined it was stuck in the closed position. When the landing gear cycle was commenced, it is likely the left main gear and nose gear locked first. With 3 microswitches closed, the down and locked indicator illuminated and the actuators ceased, rendering the right main gear not fully down and not locked. The pilot was unaware of the landing gear state and consequently, the right main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. 

Safety message

A similar occurrence involving the same aircraft model was reported to the ATSB: Landing gear failure involving Cessna 210L, at Hodgson Downs, Northern Territory, on 17 April 2019 (AB-2019-015),which highlights the difficulty of dealing with a collapsed landing gear during the landing roll.

In this recent occurrence, the pilot’s quick actions to shut the engine down prior to the runway excursion likely reduced the risk of a more serious outcome.

Landing gear microswitches on the Cessna 210 becoming stuck or jammed is a known issue that can be mitigated with the use of aircraft wing mirrors. It is important that the pre-landing checks always include a thorough visual mirror check to confirm the configuration of the landing gear. If any doubt is experienced, conducting a go-around is always encouraged.

About this report

Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.