Service difficulty report · Bolt · Piper PA34200

Difficulty date
May 21, 2001
Submitted
June 13, 2001
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N24TB
Make and model
Piper PA34200
Aircraft serial
347250047
Aircraft time
4,544 hours
Part
Bolt
Part number
402312
Condition
Seized
Location
Torque Link
Part time
1,330 hours
Stage of operation
LD
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

PILOT UNABLE TO EXTEND LANDING GEAR AND HAVE ALL THREE DOWN AND LOCKED. LANDING WAS MADE WITH NOSE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR DOWN AND RIGHT MAIN ONLY PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AC SUSTAINED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. POST LANDING INSP REVEALED THAT THE TORQUE LINKS SEPARATED AT CENTER PIVOT AND WERE CAUGHT IN WHEEL WELL PREVENTING EXTENSION. CENTER TORQUE LINK BOLT PN 402-312 FAILED. BOLT, SHANK, AND NUT WITH COTTER PIN WERE STILL IN POSITION BUT SEIZED IN LOWER TORQUE LINK ASSY. LACK OF GREASE FITTINGS AT CENTER PIVOT MAY HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS ONLY MEANS OF LUBE IS SPRAY LUBE, WHICH CAN BE WASHED OUT DURING FLIGHTS IN WET CONDITIONS. AC TT 4544 AND ESTIMATED TIME ON BOLT PN 402312 IS AT LEAST 1330.

More about the Piper PA-34-200