# Incident 20171128022149I: Piper PA-28-181, Reading, PA, November 28, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 28, 2017, 15:19 local time
- Place: Reading, PA
- Airport: Reading Regional/Carl A Spaatz Fie
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.3785° N, 75.9652° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at READING RGNL/CARL A SPAATZ FLD (RDG), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3785&lon=-75.9652&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8342N, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8342N) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,628 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171128022149I

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS AT READING PA (KRDG) FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 18 THE RIGHT GEAR OLEO CYLINDER FAILED TO CONTAIN THE STRUT/AXLE ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN THE SEPARATION OF THE LANDING GEAR WHEEL/AXLE/STRUT FROM THE AIRCRAFT EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE HOSE. THE LANDING GEAR WHEEL/AXLE/STRUT ASSEMBLY WAS TRAPPED BETWEEN THE WING AND RUNWAY DURING ROLLOUT AND SUPPORTED THE WING AS THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP, REMAINING ON THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE AND WERE NOT INJURED.

THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AND INTACT ON RUNWAY HEADING APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 18. FLIGHT AND ENGINE CONTROLS ARE FREE AND CORRECT. RIGHT FLAP IS DAMAGED AND RIGHT LOWER WING SKIN HAS SMALL PUNCTURES AND WRINKLES FROM CONTACT WITH THE LANDING GEAR WHEEL. THE RIGHT OLEO STRUT HOUSING EXHIBITED BOTH TORQUE LINK MOUNTING EARS BROKEN OFF, SEVERAL CRACKS AND TWO BROKEN FRAGMENTS AT THE LOWER END. THE BROKEN OLEO STRUT HOUSING HAS ACCRUED 9752 HOURS IN SERVICE. THE FRACTURED SURFACES OF THE TORQUE LINK EARS SUGGEST FAILURE INITIATED AT A CORROSION PIT IN THE LEFT EAR AND PROGRESSED TO OVERLOAD FAILURE OF BOTH EARS.

EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THE TORQUE LINK EARS FAILED ON THE PREVIOUS TAKEOFF ALLOWING THE LANDING GEAR WHEEL/AXLE/STRUT ASSEMBLY TO HYPEREXTEND IN THE HOUSING AND BE RETAINED IN THE HOUSING IN FLIGHT BY THE BRAKE HOSE ONLY. THE DAMAGE TO THE STRUT HOUSING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LANDING GEAR OLEO STRUT BEING LEVERED AFT WHILE BEING INSERTED LESS THAT ONE INCH, OVERLOADING THE END OF THE HOUSING. THE LENGTH OF THE BRAKE HOSE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE OLEO STRUT TO EXTEND ALMOST COMPLETELY OUT OF THE HOUSING AND THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING WOULD HAVE EXERTED HIGH LATERAL FORCE ON A SMALL AREA AT THE LOWER END OF THE STRUT HOUSING WHERE THE SEAL RESIDES.

## Other reports on N8342N (1)

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

- [Incident 19920105002089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920105002089I), Jan 5, 1992: Piper PA28181 (N8342N), Kailua-Kona, HI, Minor damage. Aircraft made an emergency landing on highway due to fuel exhaustion.

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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