What happened
On 12 July 2006, a Piper PA 34-220T, registration ZS-LPM, departed from a private airfield near Newcastle, South Africa, bound for Pietermaritzburg. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot heard a loud banging noise originating from beneath the right wing. During the flight, the pilot received a telephone call from ground personnel at the departure airfield, who reported that the right-hand oleo strut assembly had disconnected from the trunnion and was currently suspended only by the hydraulic brake pipe.
In an effort to protect people and property on the ground, the pilot performed several maneuvers over the departure aerodrome to attempt to shake the assembly loose. When this failed, the pilot elected to fly toward Pietermaritzburg via a route over remote terrain to minimize potential risks. While traversing the Tugela River area, the hydraulic pipe eventually failed, and the oleo assembly fell from the aircraft. After coordinating with air traffic control and another pilot, the pilot executed a wheels-up landing on Runway 16 at Pietermaritzburg Aerodrome. The aircraft skidded approximately 130 meters along the runway before stopping. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the mechanical failure and the operational history of the aircraft. The pilot, who also owned the aircraft, noted that the plane was frequently used for transport to various plantations across KwaZulu-Natal. These unlicensed airstrips often feature rough, grass-covered surfaces that can impose significant stress on the landing gear. The aircraft's last major periodic inspection (MPI) had been completed on 1 November 2005, with approximately 55 hours flown since that inspection.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the failure of the snap ring (Part No. 484 685) which is responsible for securing the oleo strut within the trunnion assembly.
- The separation of the right-hand oleo strut assembly necessitated the emergency gear-up landing.
- The pilot's decision to fly over remote areas was an attempt to mitigate the risk of the detached component striking ground targets.