On February 6, 1983, a Piper PA-30 (registration N1810M) operated by Devoe Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Charleston, SC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot reported that the landing gear collapsed after approximately 1,200 feet of rollout. Examination revealed overload failures in the retraction transmission, push-pull cable rods, and circuit breaker.
Accident Description
The pilot of the aircraft stated that the landing gear collapsed after the airplane had rolled approximately 1,200 feet during the landing roll. The collapse was unexpected, and the landing gear system had been functioning normally prior to landing.
Examination Results
A post-accident examination of the aircraft was performed. The inspection revealed that the gear retraction transmission had been torn out of its attachment point on the fuselage bulkhead. Additionally, the landing gear push-pull cable rod ends were found broken, and the landing gear circuit breaker was observed in the tripped (popped open) position.
Failure Analysis
All of the failed parts exhibited evidence of overload failures. No preexisting cracks or system malfunctions were identified during the examination. The overload failures indicate that the components were subjected to forces exceeding their structural capacity.