Preliminary Report: Gear failure forces diversion

Beech 1900D, Marlborough, New Zealand, June 18, 2007 – The New Zealand-registered Beech 1900 landed gear up at Woodbourne Air Station after the landing gear system failed. On the ILS approach to Wellington International, the crew did not get a gear-in-transit indicator light after lowering the gear and did not hear the hydraulic pump operating. After making a missed approach and trying unsuccessfully to get the gear down, they diverted to Woodbourne. The airplane slid 1,385 feet before stopping. The right main landing gear actuator housing had fractured, allowing all the hydraulic fluid to drain from the system. No one was injured. New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating.