Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II, registration G-RVRB, manufactured in 1979 and equipped with two Continental Motors TSIO-360-EB piston engines. The flight was a training sortie on 14 May 2018 at 14:30 UTC, departing from and returning to Sleap Aerodrome, Shropshire. The commander, aged 54, held an Airline Transport Pilot Licence with 10,340 total flying hours, including 10 hours on type. The crew consisted of two pilots, with no passengers on board.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported a normal, stable approach with all three landing gear indications showing down and locked. Approximately two seconds after touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to come to rest on the runway. The resulting damage included collapse of the nose landing gear, damage to the fuselage and propellers, and shock-loading of both engines. The crew were uninjured.
Examination Findings
The maintenance agency examined the nose landing gear and found that the drag link assembly would not remain in the overcentered position, which is required to prevent gear collapse when extended. Further inspection revealed that the downlock link attachment bolt was distorted. A new bolt was installed, after which the drag links locked correctly when placed overcentered.
Previous Occurrences
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has investigated several similar nose landing gear collapses on PA-34 aircraft. One previous occurrence involving aircraft N43GG (AAIB Bulletin 5/2006) exhibited findings comparable to those of G-RVRB. An FAA Airworthiness Directive mandates periodic inspections of the PA-34 nose landing gear installation. G-RVRB was compliant with this directive, but the operator believed that the aircraft may have been subjected to one or more unreported heavy landings.