What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 26, 2023, at 2306L MST, a Lancair 320, owned and operated by a commercial pilot departed lubbock international airport (klbb) for El Paso International Airport (kelp) on a direct flight. The aircraft landed on runway 8R and was given the instruction to taxi to the t-hangars via lima, golf. While taxing on lima, the right main landing gear collapsed. This flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91 for personal purposes and VFR in VMC. The pilot did not file a flight plan. The aircraft sustained minor damage during the right main landing gear collapse. The pilot was the only occupant and he was uninjured in this incident.
The PIC stated that the landing was normal and smooth and that he made two turns prior to the event. The first turn was a right to exit the rwy and then a second right on twy l. once on the twy, he described what he felt as “wobble, wobble and boom, the right gear collapsed.” prior to the landing gear collapse, he explained that there were no warning signs, as the aircraft was steering and performing correctly. Upon jacking the aircraft to place the affected landing gear on a dolly for towing, the rod end for the over center link was discovered broken. The right main landing gear and right wing sustained minor damage. There was no damage to airport property and there was no propeller strike. The aircraft mechanic was interviewed, confirming the part failure. He discovered a slight bend in the rod end and attributed it to side loading on the landing gear. The mechanic was encouraged to report his findings to Lancair. It is the iic’s opinion that this side stress on the main landing gear at some point in the past was the root cause for the component failure leading to this incident.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 26, 2023, AT 2306L MST, A LANCAIR 320, OWNED AND OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT DEPARTED LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KLBB) FOR EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KELP) ON A DIRECT FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 8R AND WAS GIVEN THE INSTRUCTION TO TAXI TO THE T-HANGARS VIA LIMA, GOLF. WHILE TAXING ON LIMA, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THIS FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 91 FOR PERSONAL PURPOSES AND VFR IN VMC. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE DURING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AND HE WAS UNINJURED IN THIS INCIDENT.
THE PIC STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS NORMAL AND SMOOTH AND THAT HE MADE TWO TURNS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THE FIRST TURN WAS A RIGHT TO EXIT THE RWY AND THEN A SECOND RIGHT ON TWY L. ONCE ON THE TWY, HE DESCRIBED WHAT HE FELT AS “WOBBLE, WOBBLE AND BOOM, THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED.” PRIOR TO THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE, HE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS STEERING AND PERFORMING CORRECTLY. UPON JACKING THE AIRCRAFT TO PLACE THE AFFECTED LANDING GEAR ON A DOLLY FOR TOWING, THE ROD END FOR THE OVER CENTER LINK WAS DISCOVERED BROKEN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND RIGHT WING SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO AIRPORT PROPERTY AND THERE WAS NO PROPELLER STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT MECHANIC WAS INTERVIEWED, CONFIRMING THE PART FAILURE. HE DISCOVERED A SLIGHT BEND IN THE ROD END AND ATTRIBUTED IT TO SIDE LOADING ON THE LANDING GEAR. THE MECHANIC WAS ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HIS FINDINGS TO LANCAIR. IT IS THE IIC’S OPINION THAT THIS SIDE STRESS ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST WAS THE ROOT CAUSE FOR THE COMPONENT FAILURE LEADING TO THIS INCIDENT.
Other reports on N91LS · 1
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