C-46 Commando
Maintenance Airframe
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft
A Curtiss C-46 aircraft had just completed test flight. Upon taxiing back to our ramp via the south entrance; the aircraft executed a left turn to park in spot four. Late afternoon July 2013; while attempting to park; the right Main Landing Gear (MLG) collapsed; resulting in a prop strike of the Number Two engine and the right wing contacting the ground. All crew members aboard safe and uninjured. Emergency response was immediate and ultimately not needed. I had worked on the landing gear in question during check. Cause not known at this time; awaiting findings.
Notified via company of a landing gear malfunction; determined that the [Landing Gear] Indication System seemed to be functioning correctly and it was decided to land the aircraft. All appeared to be normal on taxi rollout and subsequent turns; but on final positioning under differential power; the right Main Landing Gear (MLG) collapsed. This occurred late afternoon; in daylight; sunny; dry; high visibility conditions. This occurred on the ramp in ZZZ; involving a Curtiss C-46 owned by our Air Carrier.  Maintenance resources involved in the post incident recovery and cleanup. No injuries occurred. Loud noises of tortured metal emanating from the ramp outside the hangar. Currently under investigation for the cause of the malfunction. Began recovering the aircraft with appropriate equipment to return it to both main landing gear 'Down' and 'Locked' status. Under investigation by the Company for root cause of event. Maintenance Inspector. Aircraft damage.
An aircraft Inspector and a Maintenance Technician report a right Main Landing Gear (MLG) on a Curtiss C-46 aircraft had collapsed while taxiing during a final positioning left turn under differential power.