Service difficulty report · Scissor Link · Piper PA46500TP

Difficulty date
August 20, 2012
Submitted
August 20, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N796JS
Make and model
Piper PA46500TP
Aircraft serial
4697451
Aircraft time
371 hours
Part
Scissor Link
Part number
691334
Condition
Detached
Location
Nlg
Stage of operation
AP
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

AFTER TAKEOFF, LANDING GEAR RETRACTED, PILOT NOTED THAT THE "HYD PUMP" ANNUNCIATOR STAYED ON. ON ARRIVAL AT DESTINATION, PILOT SELECTED GEAR DOWN AND ALL THREE GREEN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. SOMETHING DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT WITH THE ACFT AND A FLY-BY OF THE CONTROL TOWER REVEALED THAT THE NOSE WHEEL WAS POSITIONED SIDE-WAYS, NOT IN LINE WITH THE ACFT. PERFORMED AN EXTENDED RUNWAY LANDING, HOLDING THE NOSE UP AS LONG AS POSSIBLE TO REDUCE AIRSPEED. OPERATOR PERFORMED SAFE LANDING BUT NLG TIRE, TUBE, AND WHEEL WERE DAMAGED. ON INSPECTION IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE NOSE WHEEL CENTER SCISSORS BOLT FELL OUT IN FLIGHT. SUSPECT COTTER PEN FAILED DUE TO TOW STRAP INTERFERENCE DURING GROUND TOWING, CAUSING THE COTTER PEN TO WORK HARDER AND BREAK. REPLACING THE CASTELLATED NUT WITH ANOTHER CASTELLATED NUT WHICH INCORPORATES A FIBER-LOCKING FEATURE, IN ADDITION TO A COTTER PEN. ADVISE OPERATORS TO PAY EXTRA CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE NLG SCISSORS DURING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTIONS.

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