20000914038749A

(.19) On September 14, 2000, about 1915 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N4105D, sustained substantial damage during landing at Emmonak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as flight 166 on a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled domestic flight under title 14, CFR part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by grant aviation inc., anchorage, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the three passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the alakanuk airport, alakanuk, Alaska, at 1910. During a telephone conversation with the national transportation safety board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (iic), on September 14, 2000, the company's vice president for airline operations reported that when the airplane departed alakanuk, the torque link, installed on the right main landing gear strut, fractured. The vice president said the runway surface at alakanuk is rough with several potholes. He said that the loss of the torque link allowed the right landing gear wheel to rotate within the upper landing gear strut housing. When the pilot landed at Emmonak, the right wheel did not remain oriented along the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and about 600 feet after touch down, the lower landing gear strut and wheel broke away from the upper strut housing. The right wing settled onto the runway. The right propeller tips, and the trailing edge of the right flap were damaged. The right wing attach points for the landing gear were not damaged. On September 25, 2000, the director of maintenance for the company reported that the airplane received damage to the left fuselage bulkhead, and the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer. Additionall, the leading edge of the right wing was damaged when it struck a runway light fixture. (-23) upon landing at Emmonak, Alaska, the right main landing gear piston, fork and wheel assembly separated from the landing gear leg and struck the right horizontal stabilizer causing a dent in the leading edge. The aircraft skidded on the remaining part of the right landing gear leg and settled down on the right wing causing punctures and scratches in the bottom side of the outer wing panel and wing tip. The right wing struck a landing light c ausing a dent in the leading edge. The right propeller struck the ground bending the tips of all three blades. The tail of the aircraft struck the runway which resulted in scratches in the empenage exterior skin and a crack and buckle in the bottom right corner of the last bulkhead. It is suspected the torque link (scissors) failed during the take-off run where the right main wheel struck a "chuck hole" filled with water at alakanuk, the last point of departure prior to landing at Emmonak.