# NTSB MIA91IA048: Piper PA-44-180, N3062H, Sanford, FL, December 19, 1990

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: December 19, 1990, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place: Sanford, FL
- Coordinates: 28.809968, -81.330665 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8100&lon=-81.3307&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 12, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32767
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA91IA048
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32767/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA91IA048

## Probable cause

COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DURING THE LANDING ROLL DUE TO INADEQUATE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND FAILURE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DRAG LINK BOLT.

## Sequence of events

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

- Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,nose gear assembly - inadequate (cause)
  - landing gear,nose gear assembly - fatigue (cause)
  - landing gear,nose gear assembly - failure,total (cause)

## Analysis

DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAM OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE DRAG LINK BOLT (AN4- 27) WHICH CONNECTS THE UPPER AND LOWER DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES WAS WORN & FAILED AS A RESULT. ACCORDING TO THE ILLUSTRATED PARTS CATALOG REVISED NOVEMBER 1982 & SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS, A NAS464P4- 27 BOLT PART NUMBER 402 940, IS SPECIFIED. THE CHANGE WAS REPORTEDLY DUE TO A PRODUCTION CHANGE. ON 7/29/86, PIPER ACFT ISSUED A SERVICE LETTER ADVISING OWNERS OF SPECIFIED PA-44-180 ACFT OF A MODIFICATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WHICH INCLUDES IN PART, REPLACEMENT OF THE DRAG LINK ASSEMBLY BOLT WITH THE NAS BOLT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3062H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3062H-2012-07-26), registration cancelled 2012-07-26, S/N 44-7995165, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-44-180
- 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: 44-7995165
- Airframe hours: 2867
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-E1A6D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Comair Aviation Academy
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 14, 1990, 32 hours before
- Airport: SFB, Sanford Regional, runway 36, 6,002 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 25; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 1,097 total, 70 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SFB

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19901219057219I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901219057219I), Dec 19, 1990: Piper PA44180, Orlando, FL, Minor damage. Nose wheel collapsed on touch and go landing. Scissor bolt had sheared.

## Other investigations on N3062H (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 WPR12FA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA020), Oct 25, 2011: Piper PA-44-180 (N3062H), St. Paul, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot was unable to see the other aircraft to avoid a collision.

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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