Service difficulty report · Landing Gear · Piper PA28181

Difficulty date
August 16, 2019
Submitted
August 16, 2019
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N384D
Make and model
Piper PA28181
Aircraft serial
2843846
Aircraft time
2,353 hours
Part
Landing Gear
Part number
79110003
Condition
Damaged
Location
Nose
Part time
2,353 hours
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
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

NOTED THAT THE NOSE FORK ASSEMBLY WAS DEVELOPING A PROBLEM AT THE BOLT HOLES FOR THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BLOCK AND STRUT; THE HOLES ARE ELONGATING CAUSING A CLICKING SOUND TO BE HEARD WHEN TAXING OR ADDING SIDE LOAD ON THE NOSE SECTION WHILE THE AIRCRAFT IS STATIONARY. IT HAS BEEN NOTED THAT THE OPENING IN THE BLOCK FOR THE STRUT TO PROTRUDE THROUGH THE FORK IS ALSO ELONGATING. THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO THE BLOCK HOLES ELONGATING THUS ALLOWING THE STRUT TUBE HOLE TO EVENTUALLY ELONGATE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED ON AIRCRAFT WITH AS LITTLE AS 1300.0 HOURS, HOWEVER THE AVERAGE TIME ON THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE DEFECT IS NOTED IS 2,100 HOURS TOTAL TIME

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