Service difficulty report · Bolt · Piper PA44180

Difficulty date
April 21, 2006
Submitted
May 19, 2006
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N554PC
Make and model
Piper PA44180
Aircraft serial
4496073
Part
Bolt
Part number
402940
Condition
Broken
Location
Nose Gear
Component
Drag Link Assy
Component part number
86280003
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

NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. MAINS TOUCHED FIRST THEN NOSE. 2 COMPONENTS THAT ARE DAMAGED IN NOSE GEAR RETRACT/EXTEND SYS. W/O DISASSEMBLING LINKAGE, VISUAL EVIDENCE, BOLT CONNECTING UPPER DRAG LINK TO LWR DRAG LINK FAILED DUE TO POSSIBLE OVERLOAD CONDITION. (FRACTURED END OF BOLT IS BRIGHT AND SHINNY, INDICATING AN INSTANTANEOUS FAILURE). ONE HALF OF THAT BOLT, WASHER, NUT AND COTTER PIN IS STILL INSERTED IN JOINT. OTHER DAMAGED COMPONENT IS BOLT THAT DOWNLOCK HOOK ENGAGES, BOLT IS BENT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO INDICATE IT WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. AFTER UPPER AND LWR DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED SENT TO MFG FOR FURTHER INSP AND ANALYSIS.

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