On May 14, 2005, a Piper PA-23-150 (registration N2113P) was involved in an aviation accident near Newnan, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The improper repair to the main landing gear assembly resulted in the actuator bracket failure and the right main gear collapse. A factor was the inadequate inspection of the right main landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After landing, the nose wheel touched down, causing the airplane to pitch forward and all landing gear to collapse. Examination revealed rusted and fractured components and improper maintenance on the right main landing gear actuator bracket.
Accident Overview
The airplane landed on its main landing gear and rolled out a short distance before the pilot lowered the nose wheel to the runway. Immediately after the nose wheel contacted the ground, the airplane pitched forward and all landing gear collapsed.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the top actuator bracket of the right main landing gear had broken and separated from its attach point. Visible rust deposits were present at the location of the cold-welded joint. Additionally, the upper drag link of the nose gear was found to be rusted and fractured.
Maintenance History
Further inspection of the maintenance performed on the right main landing gear determined that the top actuator bracket was not of original manufacturer design standards. The repair did not meet manufacturer recommendations; the top actuator bracket had been improperly cold-welded to the mount instead of being replaced as required.
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