What happened
On January 5, 1999, a Piper PA-38-112 "Tomahawk", registered F-GCTV, was performing a training flight at Marseille-Marignane Airport. Following landing, the aircraft taxied approximately 300 meters before veering sharply to the left and coming to a halt.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft's landing gear following the excursion. The inspection revealed that the left wheel had sustained damage. Upon closer examination of the wheel assembly, it was discovered that the safety pin for the axle nut was missing. The investigation established that this component had been omitted during a previous maintenance procedure performed to rectify a prior issue.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was an incomplete maintenance operation.
- The axle nut safety pin was not reinstalled following a previous repair.
- The aircraft had completed three flight segments since the wheel had been reassembled without the pin.