# NTSB MIA88IA230: Piper PA-34-200T, N47506, Tampa, FL, July 21, 1988

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: July 21, 1988, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place: Tampa, FL
- Location: 27.9475° N, 82.4584° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tampa, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9475&lon=-82.4584&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 25, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32067
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA88IA230
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32067/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA88IA230

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Main gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,main gear strut - fatigue (cause)
  - maintenance,service bulletin/letter - not followed, company maintenance personnel (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not possible
  - ground loop/swerve - uncontrolled
- On ground/water collision with object, landing
  - object - runway light

## Analysis

SHORTLY AFTER DEPG, THE PLT ELECTED TO RTRN TO THE ARPT FOR PAPERWORK HE HAD FORGOTTEN. HE RPRTD THE APCH & TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, BUT DRG THE LNDG ROLL, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY & HIT A RWY LGT BEFORE STOPPING. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT GEAR REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR TRUNNION HAD FAILED NR THE FILLET WEB DUE TO FATIGUE. THE TRUNNION HAD BEEN IN SVC FOR 1255 HRS OF OPN. PIPER SVC BULLETIN #787A, DATED 8/15/85, RECOMMENDED THAT AFTER 1000 HRS OF SVC, THE TRUNNIONS BE INSPECTED AT INTERVALS NOT TO EXCEED 100 HRS OF OPN UNTIL REPLACED. INSPECTIONS WERE TO BE MADE WITH A 10 POWER MAGNIFYING GLASS AFTER PAINT & DIRT WERE REMOVED. THE TRUNNION HAD BEEN INSPECTED AT 55 FLT HRS BEFORE THE ACDNT, BUT RPRTDLY, THE OPERATOR FAILED TO PROPERLY REMOVE THE PAINT & DIRT BEFORE THE INSPECTION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N47506](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47506-2014-10-14), registration cancelled 2014-10-14, S/N 34-7870001, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200T
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-7870001
- Airframe hours: 1255
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-360-E 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Trans Air Direct
- Registered owner: Trans Air Direct, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 10, 1988, 55 hours before
- Airport: X16, Vandenberg, runway 36, 3,260 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 29; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 926 total, 336 in this make and model, 848 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TPA, 10 nm away

## 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 19880721031809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880721031809A), Jul 21, 1988: Piper PA34200T, Tampa, FL, Minor damage. Left main gear collapsed on landing rollout. Left main gear strut assembly had failed. PN96766-02.

## Other investigations on N47506 (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 MIA92FA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA92FA051), Dec 23, 1991: Piper PA-34-200T (N47506), Rainbow Lake, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO DIVERT HER ATTENTION TO OTHER ACTIVITIES NOT RELATED TO THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCEEDING OF THE DESIGN…

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.

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