Service difficulty report · Strut · Piper PA60601

Difficulty date
July 29, 2003
Submitted
August 11, 2003
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N600TE
Make and model
Piper PA60601
Aircraft serial
610146077
Aircraft time
6,973 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540S1A5
Part
Strut
Part number
400053501
Condition
Broken
Location
Mlg
Part time
6,973 hours
Stage of operation
LD
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

TORQUE LINK ATTACH POINT ON THE RIGHT STRUT BROKE AT LANDING. THIS ALLOWED THE RIGHT MLG TIRE TO ROTATE AND PULL THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE RESULTING SIDE LOAD ON THE MLG CAUSED THE OVER CENTER LINK PN 400084-001, AND THE STRUT CYLINDER 400054-001, TO BREAK. ALSO, BOTH RIGHT SIDE MLG DOOR WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE RIGHT FLAP. THE CUFF FOR ATTACHING THE TORQUE LINKS TO THE STRUT IS INSTALLED BY THE SWEAT METHOD. IN THIS CASE, THE CUFF WAS BROKEN AT THE ATTACH POINT FOR THE SCISSORS LINK FOR SOME TIME AND NOT NOTICED DUE TO COVERAGE OF PAINT. IT TOOK A FEW LANDINGS FOR THE SWEAT ATTACHMENT TO BREAK LOOSE. THE DISBONDING WAS EVIDENT BY THE DISCOLOR OF THE SWEAT SEALED AREA ON THE CUFF AND THE STRUT.