Service difficulty report · Bolt · Piper PA32R301T

Difficulty date
July 9, 2018
Submitted
October 30, 2018
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N42990
Make and model
Piper PA32R301T
Aircraft serial
32R8329024
Part
Bolt
Part number
402869
Condition
Broken
Location
Nlg
Component
Retract Cylinde
Component part number
35797005
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
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

THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE BROKEN BOLT FELL OUT OF THE NOSE GEAR RETRACT CYLINDER ATTACH POINT WHILE PULLING THE ACFT OUT OF THE HANGAR. THE TOP HALF REMAINED IN PLACE. I FOUND THE BOTTOM HALF LAYING ON THE RAMP WHEN PUTTING THE TUG BACK INTO THE HANGAR. THIS ISSUE IS MENTIONED IN SB 747 COVERING ACFT FROM 1976 TO THE END OF THE 1982 MODEL YEAR. THE AFFECTED ACFT IS A 1983. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE BOLT EVER BEING REPLACED. AN ADDITIONAL OBSERVATION IS THAT THE NUT ON THE SHANK IS BOTTOMED OUT ON THE THREADS LEAVING THE INSTALLER OF THE BOLT TO POSSIBLY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS PROPERLY TORQUED. THE FACT THAT THE NUT WAS BOTTOMED OUT COULD HAVE LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE BOLT IN ADDITION TO THE STRESS OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY POUNDING ON IT DURING GEAR EXTENSION OR PULLING ON IT WITH A TUG.

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