Incident Overview
On December 3, 2017, at about 1530 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration N8328V, was substantially damaged during landing at Thomasville Regional Airport (TVI), Thomasville, Georgia. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to Quick Gas Aviation LLC and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at P K Airpark (5W4), Raeford, North Carolina, about 1300, and was destined for TVI.
Landing Gear Malfunction
The pilot reported that the enroute portion of the flight was uneventful. While lowering the landing gear for the approach at TVI, the left main gear did not indicate down and locked. The pilot cycled the landing gear three times and then utilized the manual landing gear extension procedure, with no changes. Aerial observation of the landing gear by airport personnel indicated that all three landing gears appeared to be down. The pilot continued the approach for a landing on runway 4. After touchdown, the left main gear collapsed. The airplane turned 90 degrees to the left and came to a stop in the grass adjacent to the runway.
Examination and Findings
The airplane was examined by an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization. Structural damage to the left wing was confirmed. The left main landing gear was found partially retracted in the gear well. The other gear were extended and locked. The airplane was raised with a backhoe, and the left main gear was manually pulled down. The down lock hooks would not engage, and the drag links would not allow full extension. The mechanic then ran his finger through the drag link mating surfaces, and a small stone with grease on it came out and fell into the grass. The object was not recovered. After removal of the stone, the landing gear extended and locked in a normal manner. Following manual troubleshooting, hydraulic power was applied, and the gear extended normally with three green indications. An additional examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted no anomalies.