# NTSB ERA17LA204: Piper PA 44-180, N3020M, Gaithersburg, MD, June 9, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 8, 2017, 21:10 local (Jun 9, 2017, 01:10 UTC) - Place: Gaithersburg, MD - Coordinates: 39.168334, -77.166114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1683&lon=-77.1661&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95358 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA204 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95358/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95358 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA204 ## Probable cause The failure of the right main landing gear trunnion bracket due to an undetermined overstress event. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear attach sec](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-44-180, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7104402), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, after an uneventful training flight, the airplane was returning to home base. After touchdown and during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right of the centerline and stopped. The instructor exited the airplane and discovered that the right main landing gear had collapsed. Postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed that the right aft main landing gear trunnion bracket had failed and that the wing spar web was damaged. A visual examination of the fracture surfaces revealed that the landing gear trunnion bracket failed during an overstress event. A review of the logbooks did not reveal any recent maintenance to the gear assembly. The investigation could not determine when the overstress event occurred that resulted in the failure of right main landing gear trunnion bracket. ## Factual narrative On June 8, 2017, about 2110 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180 airplane, N3020M, was substantially damaged during landing rollout at Montgomery County Airpark (GAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland. The flight instructor and two student pilots were not injured. The instructional flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.According to the flight instructor, he was returning to home base after a training flight that consisted of basic maneuvers, as well as two takeoffs and landings to a full stop. During the final approach the flight instructor configured the airplane for landing and briefed the student pilot. The touchdown was uneventful and during the landing roll the airplane began veering to the right of centerline. The airplane came to a full stop and the instructor performed an engine shutdown before exiting the airplane. On inspection of the airplane the flight instructor noted that the right main landing gear was collapsed and bent backwards towards the aft of the airplane. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the aft right wing spar web was damaged during the landing sequence. Further examination of the landing gear revealed that the right aft main landing gear trunnion bracket failed. A visual examination of the fracture surfaces by the NTSB Materials laboratory revealed that there were no signs of fatigued failure within the trunnion, and the bracket failed during an overstress event. A review of the logbooks did not reveal any recent maintenance to the landing gear assembly. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3020M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3020M), registered now, S/N 44-7995220, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 44-180 (180) - Registry model: [Piper PA-44-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-44-180) (registry code 7104402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 44-7995220 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 9467 - Engines: LYCOMING LO-360-E1A6D 180 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING LO-360-E1A6D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 16, 2017, 668 hours before - Departed: DMW, WESTMINSTER, MD - Destination: GAI, GAITHERSBURG, MD - Airport: GAI, Montgomery County Airpark, runway 14, 4,202 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 3, 2017; seat: right; restraint: none; flight hours: 1,281 total, 1,281 in this make and model, 1,227 as pilot in command, 282 in the last 90 days, 110 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 37; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: none; flight hours: 600 total, 490 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 94 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 310° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft unknown - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: IAD ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170608006929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170608006929A), Jun 8, 2017: Piper PA-44-180, Gaithersburg, MD, Substantial damage. During landing roll on training flight the pilot in command noticed an aburpt change in the landing gear. At first he thought it was a blown tire and reported… ## Other investigations on N3020M (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 ERA11CA486](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA486), Aug 26, 2011: Piper PA-44-180 (N3020M), Gaithersburg, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue taxiing with restricted windshield visibility. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95358. 6.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478346&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Record - FAA Statement (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478347&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Statement-Master.PDF - Maintenance Logbook (item 3, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478348&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Logbook-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 3 photos, 278 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478349&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Summary of Email Correspondence with NTSB Materials Laboratory (item 5, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478350&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Summary%20of%20Email%20Correspondence%20with%20NTSB%20Materials%20Laboratory-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.