# Accident 20110422007569A: Piper PA-28-161, Meriden, CT, April 22, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 22, 2011, 16:25 local time
- Place: Meriden, CT
- Airport: Meriden Markham Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.5086° N, 72.8294° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5086&lon=-72.8294&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2838D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2838D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 139 total, 74 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11LA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA264) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110422007569A

## Narrative

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

STUDENT PILOT ADMITS TO LANDING A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL ON RUNWAY 18 AT MERIDEN AIRPORT DUE TO SMALL WIND SHEER OR CHANGING WIND CONDITIONS. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BROKE AT THE UPPER TORQUE LINK ATTACH LUGS ALLOWING THE LANDING GEAR STUT TO SEPARATE FROM THE GEAR HOUSING. STUDENT PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CAME APART. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND CAME TO REST FACING WEST APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. STUDENT PILOT STATES HE WAS NOT INJURED. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT THE RIGHT GEAR'S LEFT TORQUE LINK LUG WAS CRACKED PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA11LA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA264), Apr 22, 2011: Piper PA-28-161 (N2838D), Meriden, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel's inadequate inspection of the main landing gear, which resulted in a failure of the right main landing gear’s inboard torque link lug due to a fatigue fracture. Contributing to…

## Other reports on N2838D (4)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20110312003409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110312003409A), Mar 12, 2011: Piper PA-28-161 (N2838D), Oxford, CT, Substantial damage. On March 12, 2011 at approximately 1305 local time, a Piper cherokee, PA-28-161, N2838D, experienced a nose low landing which resulted in substantial damage to…
- [Incident 20100726041139I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100726041139I), Jul 26, 2010: Piper PA-28-161 (N2838D), Vineyard Haven, MA, Minor damage. Aircraft N2838D was cleared for touch and go on runway 24. An unexpected gust of wind, which the pilot stated he was not expecting caused him to veer off the…
- [Incident 19880506021389I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880506021389I), May 6, 1988: Piper PA28161 (N2838D), Augusta, ME, Minor damage. Landed downwind and departed the departure end of runway. Sustained minor damage.
- [Incident 19800718083229I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800718083229I), Jul 18, 1980: Piper PA28161 (N2838D), Norwood, MA, Minor damage. Student on touch and go landed long, then instructed by tower for full stop. Overran runway end.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
