Service difficulty report · Bolt · Piper PA44180

Difficulty date
March 26, 2004
Submitted
July 22, 2004
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA44180
Aircraft time
9,706 hours
Engine
Lyc O360D1A
Propeller
Hartzl HCC3YR2
Part
Bolt
Part number
NAS464P427
Condition
Sheared
Location
Shaft
Component
Drag Link Assy · Piper
Stage of operation
LD
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

(CAN) THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A ROUTINE TRAINING FLT & HAD JUST LANDED WHEN THE NLG SUDDENLY COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLL. ONCE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO BE MOVED FROM RUNWAY, IT WAS TOWED TO RAMP AREA WHERE MX PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE FAILURE. EXAMINATION OF THE NLG SYS BY AN AME REVEALED THAT THE DRAG LINK PIVOT BOLT HAD SHEARED & SUBSEQUENTLY BACKED OUT OF POSITION CAUSING DRAG LINK MECH TO FAIL. FAILURE OF DRAG LINK MECH IN TURN CAUSED THE NLG TO COLLAPSE. AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION THE AME DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT HAD SHEARED ABOUT HALF WAY ALONG THE SHAFT AND THAT THE END WITH THE NUT ATTACHED HAD FALLEN FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE REMAINING HALF HAD BACKED OUT ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE LINKAGE TO SEPARATE

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