What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)N45TH sustained minor damage after the landing gear collapsed on rollout on runway 30 at the miden-tahoe airport. No injuries to the sole occupant. The investigation revealed that the aft landing gear down lock assembly had broken from fatigue. On this make of glider, the tow rope attact fitting is mounted to the landing gear. When the landing gear repeatedly is retracted during tow, the down lock mechanism suffers a large amount of strain and will eventually fail as did this one. The glider is placarded against retracting the landing gear during tow operations.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)N45TH SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AFTER THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON ROLLOUT ON RUNWAY 30 AT THE MIDEN-TAHOE AIRPORT. NO INJURIES TO THE SOLE OCCUPANT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AFT LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN FROM FATIGUE. ON THIS MAKE OF GLIDER, THE TOW ROPE ATTACT FITTING IS MOUNTED TO THE LANDING GEAR. WHEN THE LANDING GEAR REPEATEDLY IS RETRACTED DURING TOW, THE DOWN LOCK MECHANISM SUFFERS A LARGE AMOUNT OF STRAIN AND WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL AS DID THIS ONE. THE GLIDER IS PLACARDED AGAINST RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR DURING TOW OPERATIONS.
Other reports on N45TH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.