Service difficulty report · Torque Link · Piper PA23250

Difficulty date
December 26, 2019
Submitted
January 29, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N5930Y
Make and model
Piper PA23250
Aircraft serial
273091
Engine
Lyc TIO540*
Part
Torque Link
Part serial
3180506
Condition
Separated
Location
Nlg
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
D
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

DURING INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL OF THE DAY, THE UPPER NOSE GEAR TORQUE LINK SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER TORQUE LINK, ALLOWING THE NOSE WHEEL TO TURN SIDEWAYS. THE RESULTANT INDUCED STRESS RESULTED IN THE SEPARATION OF THE NOSE WHEEL FORK AND STRUT TUBE, AND THE SEPARATION OF THE NOSE WHEEL TIRE FROM THE ACFT. THE PILOT INITIATED AN ABORT, AND THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON THE BOTTOM OF THE EXPOSED NOSE STRUT. THIS ACFT HAS SUFFERED NUMEROUS OVERSTEERING INCIDENTS RESULTING FROM CARELESS GROUND CREW OPERATION. IT MY OPINION THAT THE GROUND CREW ACTIONS CREATED A FAILURE OF THE UPPER TORQUE LINK. PERHAPS AN STC COULD BE GRANTED TO ALLOW PIPER AZLEC OWNERS THE ABILITY TO INSTALL AN UPPER LINK SIMILAR TO THE PIPER PA-31 SERIES AIRCRAFT, STC SA3197SO, AERO SUPPORT ENGINEERING SCISSOR LINK KIT.

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