What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 22, 2005, at approximately 14:00 local time, Piper, PA-28-140, N3542K, operated by the pilot privacy data omitted experienced a right main landing gear failure while enroute from florence, SC (flo) to hardee airport (SC21), Loris, south carolina. The pilot privacy data omitted landed N3542K at SC21 with the lower strut missing from the right main landing gear. The pilot was not injured while the aircraft sustained minor damage. The pilot reported that he heard a loud bang while at cruise altitude. He also stated that he thought he hit something, like a large bird or a weather balloon. After a "fly by" of his home airport and ground personnel reported to him that the right tire appeared to be missing. The pilot elected to land the aircraft at hardee field, Loris, SC. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the lower strut, brake and tire assemblies were missing from the right main gear. The upper main gear torque link (p/n unknown) was attached to the upper strut housing. The brake line was broken off at the brake cylinder fitting and the lower strut assembly was missing. It appears that the torque link bolt (p/n unknown) failed allowing the lower strut assembly to extend out of the strut housing and fall free of the aircraft. Unable to confirm based on available maintenance records, but aircraft appears to have grease bolt replacement kit (p/n 760.910) installed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2005, AT APPROXIMATELY 14:00 LOCAL TIME, PIPER, PA-28-140, N3542K, OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED A RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILURE WHILE ENROUTE FROM FLORENCE, SC (FLO) TO HARDEE AIRPORT (SC21), LORIS, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA ^ LANDED N3542K AT SC21 WITH THE LOWER STRUT MISSING FROM THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD BANG WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HIT SOMETHING, LIKE A LARGE BIRD OR A WEATHER BALLOON. AFTER A "FLY BY" OF HIS HOME AIRPORT AND GROUND PERSONNEL REPORTED TO HIM THAT THE RIGHT TIRE APPEARED TO BE MISSING. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT AT HARDEE FIELD, LORIS, SC. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE LOWER STRUT, BRAKE AND TIRE ASSEMBLIES WERE MISSING FROM THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. THE UPPER MAIN GEAR TORQUE LINK (P/N UNKNOWN) WAS ATTACHED TO THE UPPER STRUT HOUSING. THE BRAKE LINE WAS BROKEN OFF AT THE BRAKE CYLINDER FITTING AND THE LOWER STRUT ASSEMBLY WAS MISSING. IT APPEARS THAT THE TORQUE LINK BOLT (P/N UNKNOWN) FAILED ALLOWING THE LOWER STRUT ASSEMBLY TO EXTEND OUT OF THE STRUT HOUSING AND FALL FREE OF THE AIRCRAFT. UNABLE TO CONFIRM BASED ON AVAILABLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, BUT AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE GREASE BOLT REPLACEMENT KIT (P/N 760.910) INSTALLED.
Other reports on N3542K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.