# Incident 19971125041889I: Piper PA32260, Naples, FL, November 25, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 25, 1997, 20:45 local time
- Place: Naples, FL
- Airport: Naples Municipal
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Touch And Go Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.1524° N, 81.7756° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at NAPLES MUNI (APF), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1524&lon=-81.7756&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3934W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3934W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32260
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 737 total, 476 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971125041889I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: N3934W, PA32-260. INTERVIEW WITH PILOT ON 12-01-97 AT NAPLES, FL. (APF) IN HANGER A-80. PILOT, MR. EDWARD J. GEHRINS AND PASSENGER GARY ROGERS ALSO A PARTNER IN THE AIRCRAFT AND A CERTIFICATED PILOT TOOK OFF FROM APF ENROUTE TO SOUTHWEST REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RSW) TO PRACTICE APPROACHES. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED APF WITH FULL FUEL. MR. GEHRINS WAS CLEARED BY RSW TOWER TO PERFORM AN ILS APPROACH WITH OPTION TO PERFORM TOUCH AND GOES. AIRCRAFT LANDED ON MAINS, NOSE GEAR HAD NOT FULLY SETTLED WHEN MODERATE VIBRATION WAS FELT BY PILOT AND PASSENGER. PILOT APPLIED TAKEOFF POWER, AND ACCOMPLISHED NORMAL TAKEOFF. CONTROL TOWER NOTIFIED PILOT THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD LOST THE RH MAIN GEAR. PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO APF FOR LANDING. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT OTHER THAN DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLY. INSPECTION OF RIGHT GEAR ASSEMBLY FOUND UPPER GEAR CYLINDER BRACKETS (2) FOR THE TORQUE LINK ATTACHMENT SUFFERED A COMPLETE SEPARATION FROM THE CYLINDER ALLOWING THE L/G CYLINDER PISTON AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH HORNS APPEAR TO HAVE CRACKED FROM THE INSIDE EDGE TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE. CRACKS WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDETECTED UNLESS TORQUE LINKS WERE REMOVED FOR FURTHER NDI INSPECTION. DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT: 1. UPPER RH MLG STRUT HOUSING RECEIVED ABRASIONS DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY. 2. RIGHT FLAP LOWER SKIN BENT DUE TO CONTACT WITH RH WHEEL ASSEMBLY. 3. PASSENGER CABIN ENTRANCE STEP DAMAGED DUE TO ABRASION. ALSO ATTACH BRACKET CRACKED AT 90 DEGREE BEND RADIUS. 4. WHEEL FAIRING DAMAGED DUE TO ABRASIONS. LOG BOOK REVIEW: 1. ANNUAL INSPECTION PERFORMED ON 03/31/97, TAT.4967.9, BY MICHAEL MARSH, A&P 46587359IA. 2. A.D.S CHECKED THROUGH 97-07. 3. SERVICED GEAR WITH NITROGEN AND HYD., FLUID 5606 AT TIME OF LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION, (03/31/97). 4. AD 72-08-06 DETECT CRACKS ADJACENT TO THE 21/2 DIA., MACHINE BOSS ON TORQUE LINKS ACCOMPLISHED AT LAST ANNUAL. 5. AD 67-20-04 C/W BY S.B. 248. RELEASED AIRCRAFT TO OWNER/PILOT, MR. EDWARD GEHRINS AT 10:30 AM, 12/01/97.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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