Accident
On April 17, 2010, at approximately 1435 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-160 Pacer, registration N9019D, experienced a landing gear collapse and departed the runway at Fruitland, Utah. The flight was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91 as a cross-country personal trip. The certificated private pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left elevator due to impact forces.
The flight originated from West Jordan, Utah, at 1350, with Fruitland as the intended destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that the windsock indicated light winds straight down runway 31. The airplane passed through short final at 73 knots, and the pilot noted light headwind gusts. During the landing flare, the airplane ballooned, and power was applied to smooth the descent. The pilot described the touchdown sound and feel as different, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing dropped below the horizon, followed by a hard "non-bounce." The airplane veered to the right; despite left rudder and brake inputs, it exited the right side of the runway. The left wing then struck a drainage berm.
Investigation
Several Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the wreckage and interviewed the pilot. The pilot said the landing was hard, characterizing it as a full stall landing—his only technique—and stated this landing was no harder than many of his others.
Inspection of the landing gear system revealed that the shock cords were intact and showed no degradation. However, the cord retainer lug had fractured and separated, releasing the cords and eliminating tension needed for proper function. The cords appeared quite new and were in excellent condition. A mechanic confirmed they were replaced during the annual inspection on September 1, 2009; the aircraft had accumulated about 40 flight hours since then. The landing gear structure showed no evidence of prior cracking or fatigue, exhibiting 45-degree shear lips around the entire fracture surface.