On September 19, 2015, about 1430 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane, N7803P, experienced a landing gear collapse during landing at Lakefront Airport (NEW), New Orleans, Louisiana. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to Tinkstoy, LLC, Little Rock, Arkansas, and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported by the pilot at the accident site, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Cantrell Field Airport (CXW), Conway, Arkansas, about 1230.
After the main landing gear touched down, the pilot heard a "throbbing" sound like the right main landing gear tire went flat. The pilot applied left aileron in an attempt to lift the load off the right main tire. The airplane drifted to the left, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no anomalies with the landing gear system prior to landing.
On October 19, 2015, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector determined that the damage to the fuselage bulkheads was considered substantial damage, and the accident was then reported to the NTSB. During the FAA examination, the airplane was resting on a flatbed trailer, and the FAA inspector was unable to adequately view the landing gear areas to assess the system and tires. The inspector observed the "landing gear actuation rods" were bent, but was unable to determine if the damage was prior to or after the impact. The reason for the landing gear collapse could not be determined.
According to the airplane maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on May 1, 2015, at a total airframe time of 5,188.5 hours. During the annual inspection, the main landing gear left and right lower side brace links were replaced (The maintenance record did not indicate if the left or right main landing gear side braces were replaced). The landing gear system was lubricated and an operational check was satisfactory.