Landing Gear Failure Leads to Runway Excursion (N29884)

Accident Overview

An airline transport certified pilot was performing a landing on a paved runway in a twin-engine airplane operating under Title 14, CFR Part 135 as a scheduled domestic passenger flight. During the landing roll, the pilot noted a significant airframe vibration accompanied by a pronounced rumbling noise as the airplane slowed. When the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered left, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and the nose collided with a drainage ditch. The fuselage sustained substantial damage.

Postaccident Inspection

A postaccident inspection conducted by maintenance personnel revealed a broken aluminum alloy landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. Operators utilizing such brackets are required to perform recurring inspections every 500 hours or every 1,200 landings, whichever comes first. Inspection of the accident airplane's maintenance records by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector indicated that the aluminum alloy oleo attachment bracket had last been inspected approximately 101.0 hours and 218 landings before the accident. The FAA inspector also noted a substantial accumulation of dirt, grease, and oil on and around the broken oleo attachment bracket.