Service difficulty report · Link Assy · Piper PA23160

Difficulty date
December 9, 2011
Submitted
December 30, 2011
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N4233P
Make and model
Piper PA23160
Aircraft serial
231730
Part
Link Assy
Part number
1904300
Condition
Failed
Location
Lt Mlg
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
9
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

DURING ROLLOUT, AFTER LANDING, ACFT STARTED TO LEAN TO THE LEFT. PILOTS USED RT RUDDER AND BRAKES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT ON THE RUNWAY. ACFT CAME TO COMPLETE STOP ON RUNWAY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION, NOTED THAT THE LT MLG TO PASS CENTER AND FALL AFT. LINK ASSY HAD FAILED AT A DRILLED BOLT HOLE BY THE MFG. SLIGHT RUST WAS NOTED INSIDE THE TUBE. THE WELD ON THE LINK TUBE, FOR THE ROD END, ENDS AT THE POINT WHERE THE MFG DRILLS A HOLE TO MOUNT THE LOCK. HEAT TREATING OF THIS AREA MIGHT BE AN ISSUE. WATER/MOISTURE CAN GET INTO THIS TUBE THROUGH THE BOLT HOLE. LINK COULD BE MADE FROM A BETTER MATERIAL AND POSSIBLE CORROSION TREATMENT INTERNALLY IN THE TUBE TO PREVENT CORROSION.

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