Service difficulty report · Attach Bolt · Piper PA38112

Difficulty date
February 27, 2022
Submitted
April 1, 2022
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N2446N
Make and model
Piper PA38112
Aircraft serial
3879A0847
Aircraft time
10,716 hours
Part
Attach Bolt
Part number
AN717A
Part serial
NA
Condition
Broken
Location
Zone 700
Part time
10,716 hours
Component
Landing Gear · Piper
Component part number
77787300
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
Z
Precautionary procedure
C, O

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

What was found

AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE KGTU FEBUARY 27, 2022 .SAT FSDO SW17 INCIDENT. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO LANDING GEAR ATTACH BOLTS AND THE LANDING GEAR COVER FAIRING DURING GROUND TAXI PRIOR TO FLIGHT. FAA IIC RECOMENDED INCIDENT CLASSIFICATION AS MINOR DAMAGE TO NTSB. AIRCRAFT WAS 14 CFR 141 FLIGHT SCHOOL AIRCRAFT. FAA IIC OBSERVED REMOVAL OF LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY . THE TWO INTACT (AN6H-14A) BOLTS ATTACHING THE CLAMP HOLDING MAIN LANDING GEAR TO WING AND ONE FRACTURED (AN7-17A) BOLT ATTACHING THE INBOARD END OF THE LANDING GEAR LEG TO AIRCRAFT WING STRUCTURE.REMOVAL OF THE TWO (AN6H-14A) BOLTS ATTACHING THE CLAMP SHOWED EVIDENCE OF DEFORMITYAND BENDING IN SHEAR. THE FRACTURED IN BOARD ATTACH BOLT HEAD WAS DEFORMED AND STUCK IN THE LANDING GEAR LEG HOLE FROM CORROSION. THE REAMAINING SHANK AND THREADED PORTION REMAINED IN THE BARREL NUT. UNDER VISUAL EXAMINATION THE BOLT DISPLAYED EVIDENSE OF TENSILE FRACTURE, THE BOLT WAS DISLORED AND DISPLAYED CORROSION AT THE FRACTURED SURFACE AND AROUND THE SHANK. ALL HARDWARE AND STACK UP WAS DOCUMENTED, PHOTOGRAPHED AND HELD BY THE FAA SAT FSDO FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS.

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