# Accident 20150723013479A: Piper PA-28R-180, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, July 23, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 2015, 16:05 local time
- Place: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Airport: Ft. Lauderdale Executive
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: 8SKS
- Location: 26.1961° N, 80.1681° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1961&lon=-80.1681&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4631J, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4631J) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-180 (registry code 7102809, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 650 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA289) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150723013479A

## Narrative

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

N4631J EXPERIENCED A LANDING GEAR PROBLEM ACCOMPANIED BY A LOSS OF STEERING 23 JUL 2015 AT FT. LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (FXE).  THE AIRCRAFT IS A PA-28R-180 BASED AT SKYEAGLE AVIATION ACADEMY (8SKS).  THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 141 WITH AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED ENGINE MOUNT PART NUMBER 67119-049 BROKE AT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING CENTERING DEVISE ATTACH POINT.  AIRCRAFT PLACED ON JACKS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING SYSTEM AND ENSURE FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY.  INSPECTION REVEALED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS APPEARED TO HAVE FULL CONTINUITY WITH NOSE WHEEL STEERING NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO THE BROKEN ATTACH POINT.  NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE AIRCRAFT.  BROKEN PIECE OF ENGINE MOUNT PROVIDED TO THE NTSB MATERIALS LABORATORY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

## 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 ERA15LA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA289), Jul 23, 2015: Piper PA-28R-180 (N4631J), Fort Lauderdale, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The undetected fatigue cracks in the engine and nose landing gear (NLG) strut mount assembly, which prevented the proper alignment of the NLG after it was extended and the pilots from being able to…

## Other reports on N4631J (2)

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

- [Incident 20130313004889I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130313004889I), Mar 13, 2013: Piper PA-28R-180 (N4631J), Palm Coast, FL, Minor damage. At 2240 UTC, N4631J made an emergency landing around the 4900 block of the Palm Coast parkway. The aircraft landed eastbound in the westbound lanes. Prior to…
- [Accident 20040817018289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040817018289A), Aug 17, 2004: Piper PA28R180 (N4631J), Eliot, ME, Substantial damage. (-23) Mr. Ricker, pilot in command of Piper N4631J, was in the process of taking his biennial flight review. He initiated a practice emergency landing at the…

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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