On November 1, 1982, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N7521Z) operated by Gleen W. Hogg was involved in an aviation accident near Andrews, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The structural failure of the left main landing gear wheel bolts, which pulled out from the outer and inner separated halves during landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aerial application flight, the pilot landed on a gravel road. At approximately 25 mph, the left main wheel failed, causing the aircraft to nosed over.
What happened
The incident occurred while the pilot was conducting an aerial application flight. The pilot elected to land the aircraft on a gravel road. As the aircraft's speed decreased to approximately 25 miles per hour, the left main landing gear wheel failed structurally. This failure caused the aircraft to nosed over.
The investigation
A post-incident inspection of the aircraft revealed significant damage to the landing gear assembly. Specifically, the bolts securing the left main landing gear wheel had pulled out. The failure involved both the outer and inner separated halves of the gear assembly, indicating a complete detachment of the fastening mechanism.
Probable cause
The structural failure of the left main landing gear wheel bolts, which pulled out from the outer and inner separated halves during landing.