# NTSB WPR14LA307: Piper PA 46 350P, N60PB, Auburn, WA, July 22, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 22, 2014, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: Auburn, WA - Coordinates: 47.327777, -122.226669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3278&lon=-122.2267&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 July 16, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: SEA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89714 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14LA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89714/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89714 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14LA307 ## Probable cause A collapse of the nose landing gear for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Other; cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/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 46-350P, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that he performed the before landing checklist and verified that there were three green landing gear indicator lights illuminated. He added that the landing was "soft" and that he held the nose gear off the runway as long as possible. When the nose gear touched down, the airplane veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied right rudder control and brakes to avoid a runway excursion. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop. The airplane was not made available for examination after the accident. A review of maintenance records indicated that a service bulletin (SB) to inspect the engine mounts for cracks, which the manufacturer considered mandatory, was not accomplished. The SB stated that cracks develop in the area of the nose gear actuator feet on the engine mount. The condition can occur when the nose landing gear is subjected to excessive loads due to hard landings, rough field operations, excessive-speed turns, improper airplane towing, or other improper operations. It is possible that the engine mount was cracked as identified in the service bulletin, which led to the nose gear collapse; however, because the airplane was not examined following the accident, the reason for the nose gear collapse could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 22, 2014, about 0915 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350 airplane, N60PB, experienced a nose landing gear collapse during the landing roll at Auburn Municipal airport (S50), Auburn, Washington. The private pilot, commercial pilot, and two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The airplane was registered to Ards Fly LLC and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, at 0900 and was destined for Auburn. The pilot reported while in the pattern for landing, he accomplished the landing checklist and verified that the landing gear indicator lights were three green. The touchdown was soft and he held the nose gear up as long as possible during the landing roll on the main gear. When the nose gear touched down, the airplane veered sharply to the left. The pilot applied right rudder control and braking action to avoid going off the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop. A review of the aircraft maintenance records indicated that the last annual inspection was accomplished on August 20, 2013. On May 29, 2014, the logbook entry indicated that the main landing gear actuator upper attach bolts, and the nose strut steering arm bolts were re-torqued. The next day, the nose landing gear sequence valve was adjusted. The landing gear was swung through several cycles and the operation was checked ok. On June 5, 2014, Piper Aircraft issued Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1103E, which Piper considered compliance as mandatory to inspect the engine mount for cracks and replace for PA-46-350P and PA-46R-350T airplanes. There was no entry in the logbook to indicate that this Service Bulletin had been complied with. The SB indicated that cracks my develop in the area of the nose gear actuator attach feet on the engine mount. This condition can occur when the nose landing gear is subjected to excessive loads due to hard landings, rough field operations, excessive speed turns, improper towing, or other improper operations. The airplane was not made available for examination following the accident to determine the reason for the nose landing gear collapse. The pilot did not complete the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N60PB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60PB-2021-11-18), registration cancelled 2021-11-18, S/N 4636362, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46 350P - Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104620) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-series) (registry code 41569, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4636362 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 1690 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO 540 AE2A 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 20, 2013 - Departed: BFI, Seattle, WA - Destination: S50, Auburn, WA - Airport: S50, Auburn Municipal, runway 16, 3,400 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 21, 2014; seat: left; flight hours: 1,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - Flight instructor; age 33; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; seat: right; flight hours: 4,500 total, 300 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KSEA ## 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 20140722012639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140722012639A), Jul 22, 2014: Piper PA 46-350P, Auburn, WA, Substantial damage. Piper PA46-350P, nose gear collapsed on landing roll out. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89714. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462857&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 2, .PDF, 359 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462858&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-Master.PDF - Piper Service Bulletin No 1103E (item 3, .PDF, 417 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462859&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Piper%20Service%20Bulletin%20No%201103E-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462860&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-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.