Reims-Cessna F177RG Cardinal manuals

This document is an AAIB Bulletin concerning the Cessna F177RG Cardinal, specifically addressing an incident involving the aircraft G-BFIV. The bulletin details an emergency landing due to a failure in the main landing gear actuator rod end, which resulted in the main gear not locking down properly. The document includes a thorough analysis of the incident, the aircraft's landing gear system, and recommendations for maintenance based on the findings. It serves as a critical reference for pilots and maintenance personnel to understand the potential risks associated with the landing gear system and the importance of adhering to service bulletins issued by the manufacturer.

• The Cessna F177RG Cardinal's main landing gear is hydraulically actuated and can free fall if hydraulic pressure is lost.
• A service letter from 1979 recommended replacing the main gear actuator rod end with a higher strength version to prevent failures.
• The failed actuator rod end on G-BFIV was the older type that had not been replaced as per the service letter recommendation.
• The incident involved a belly landing due to the main gear not locking down, which could have been avoided with proper maintenance.
• The investigation revealed that the failure was likely due to a low-cycle fatigue mechanism at the greasing hole of the rod end.