On December 20, 1982, a Piper PA-34-200 (registration N41336) operated by Bankair, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Columbia, SC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot landed on runway 23 with crosswinds exceeding the aircraft's demonstrated limit. After touchdown, severe vibration occurred and the left main gear collapsed due to overload failure of a truss bracket stud.
Incident Details
The aircraft landed on runway 23. Winds were reported as variable from 250 to 290 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 24 knots. With these conditions, the maximum crosswind component would have been approximately 21 knots. The maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the aircraft was 15 knots.
The pilot reported that during the landing, a severe vibration began about 300 feet after touchdown. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed.
Examination Findings
An examination of the landing gear revealed that the left main gear truss bracket stud, part number 78717-2, had failed due to overload forces. No evidence of fatigue was found.