What happened
On 8 June 2000, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registration G-BOWY, was performing a private flight when it experienced a landing gear malfunction at Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey. After completing a normal landing on Runway 19, the aircraft turned left off the runway. During this maneuver, the pilot noticed an unexpected deceleration.
Upon stopping the aircraft, the pilot notified the Tower controller of his intention to shut down the engine to inspect the landing gear for potential issues. An inspection revealed that the right main wheel had skewed approximately 70 degrees. The airfield fire service was called to the scene and assisted in moving the aircraft to a safe location away from the active runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure of the landing gear assembly. A search of the runway surface was conducted to locate any lost components, but the missing torque link bolt could not be found.
Records indicate that the pilot had performed a pre-flight inspection prior to the flight, during which both the torque link bolt and its nut were observed to be in place. The investigation established that the absence of the torque link bolt was the primary reason for the wheel's misalignment.