What happened
On 23 July 2014, a Pietenpol Air Camper, registration G-ECVB, was performing a private flight at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire. During a touch-and-go maneuver, the aircraft's right landing gear collapsed. Following the failure, the pilot climbed to a safe altitude to evaluate the damage and notified Air Traffic Control. To facilitate a visual inspection of the gear by ground personnel, the pilot performed several low passes and practice approaches.
When the pilot eventually attempted to land, the aircraft touched down solely on the left mainwheel. The aircraft traveled approximately 150 meters along the runway before losing lift. The right wing subsequently dropped, causing the aircraft to rotate 180 degrees horizontally before coming to a stop. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger, though the aircraft sustained damage to the right wingtip and the right landing gear.
The investigation
An investigation by the Light Aircraft Association (LAA) focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. Examination of G-ECVB revealed that the rod-end bearing, which connects the right tie-rod to the right mainwheel struts, had failed. This failure directly caused the collapse of the gear.
While previous incidents involving similar landing gear setups were linked to grease nipple holes acting as stress raisers, the failed component in this instance did not feature a grease nipple. However, the LAA determined that the specific rod-end used was of a lower specification than required by the original production drawings. The investigation concluded that the component had suffered from progressive in-service deterioration.
Findings
- The right landing gear collapsed due to the failure of the right landing gear tie-rod-end.
- The rod-end bearing was of a lower specification than required by the production drawings.
- The failure was caused by progressive deterioration during service.