REFLECTOR: Gear collapse

[Laurence Coen]

Mike,

Since there is no mechanical connection between the main gear and the nose gear I think that this is an electrical problem.  John had a similar thing happen during taxi when he ran through a puddle that threw muddy water up on his gear electrical components.  Did you land on a wet runway?  If not I would look for the possibility that something at the gear switch or at the solenoids shorted over.  The only explanation that makes sense for a full gear collapse is if the hydraulic pump ran at least momentarily in the gear up direction.

By the way, I and Scott are joined at the hip by having exactly the same experience with the nose gear.  I feel your pain.

Larry Coen
N136LC


From: Scott Derrick 
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2011 11:56 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Gear collapse


Wow thats really a drag Mike.  I had a nose gear not extend once,  made for a lot of repairs afterword.

My nose gear didn't extend because the axle unscrewed in flight and got caught on the nose gear guides. My bad, the factory had changed the axle locking mechanism but I had not implemented the change.

There is nothing design wise wrong with the main gear that I know of. If it is rigged correctly and wired correctly.

Is it possible you are getting a GREEN light for the mains when in fact the downlock is not in place?  When the gear is in the down position are the cables connecting the hydraulic actuator to the top of the gear legs just a bit loose?  If they are still tight that could cause the down lock to disengage when things flex a bit?  If the main gear is correctly adjusted and the down lock is in place its virtually impossible for the gear to fold up.  I've had some pretty hard landings and it has stood up to all the abuse I've handed it.  It certainly calls for jacking it up and cycling the gear with your eyeballs close by the gear mechanism. 

Is it possible you have a short somewhere that could send an un-commanded "UP" command to the pump unit? 
 
Really sorry for your mishap, nobody likes a gear up except for the repairing A&P.  Especially non-pilot spouses!

Scott

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: REFLECTOR: Gear collapse
From: Michael Watson <mikewatsspg at gmail.com>
To: Reflector <reflector at tvbf.org>
Date: 01/08/2011 02:55 PM

  This morning I flue up to Sebring Florida (KSEF). On landing, the rear gear 
  collapsed then the nose gear collapsed. This was with both lights showing
  green on short final. The  IVO prop. shattered as expected and on the bottom
  firewall forward about three feet, was scrubbed off down to the blue foam.

  The wings, canard and the rest of the body is OK. No de-lamination.
  We got the plane back up on all three's and pulled it over to the FBO.
  After an hour of examinations we still cannot figure out how this happened.

  If Travis is still on the reflector, please contact me offline. I need the plane
  shipped back to Lantana Airport (KLNA) for repairs.

  -- 
  Mike W.
  1997 Velocity Elite RG
  Franklin /IVO Electric CS
  Dual GRT EFIS HX Synthetic Vision


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