# NTSB ERA20CA103: Piper PA28RT, N8320H, Fort Myers, FL, February 2, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 2, 2020, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Fort Myers, FL - Coordinates: 26.587223, -81.861946 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5872&lon=-81.8619&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 27, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100954 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100954/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100954 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA103 ## Probable cause The fracture of the right main landing gear torque link bolt on landing, which resulted in the landing gear assembly rotating freely, the subsequent loss of directional control, and the landing gear collapsing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=7102817), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102817), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7102817), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102817), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, at the conclusion of an uneventful flight, he approached the runway for landing. During touchdown, the airplane veered right, the left main landing gear (MLG) collapsed, the left wing contacted the runway, and the airplane then came to rest. The left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right MLG wheel assembly was free to rotate about the strut and that the torque link bolt securing the MLG torque link had fractured and was corroded. The landing gear and separated bolt were not examined further. ## Factual narrative At the conclusion of an uneventful flight, the commercial pilot approached the runway for landing. During touchdown, the airplane veered right and the left wing contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. During the accident sequence the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear wheel assembly was free to rotate about the strut, and the bolt securing the torque link had fractured and had a corroded appearance. The landing gear and separated bolt were not examined in further detail. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8320H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8320H), registered now, S/N 28R-8131057, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA28RT (201T) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28RT-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201t) (registry code 7102817) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-8131057 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 8363.4 - Engines: Continental TSIO-360-FB 201 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 28, 2019 - Departed: VNC, Venice, FL - Destination: FMY, Fort Myers, FL - Airport: FMY, Page Field, runway 31, 4,912 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 692.5 total, 395.6 in this make and model, 599.7 as pilot in command, 14.8 in the last 90 days, 10.6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: FMY ## 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 20200202002939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200202002939A), Feb 2, 2020: Piper PA-28RT-201T, Fort Myers, FL, Substantial damage. On February 2, 2020, at 16:22 EDT, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, N8320H, had a right main gear issue on roll out causing the left main to fail at Fort Myers / lee… ## Other investigations on N8320H (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 CEN11CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA103), Nov 18, 2010: Piper PA-28RT-201T (N8320H), Spring, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the right landing gear down-lock mechanism to fully engage. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to verify the landing gear extension due to the inoperative… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 4, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100954. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 723 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483378&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483379&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Record - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 132 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483380&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 4, .PDF, 739 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483381&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-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.