Service difficulty report · Fork · Gruman FIRECAT

Difficulty date
August 1, 2009
Submitted
October 23, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Gruman FIRECAT
Aircraft time
7,207 hours
Engine
Wright 982C9HE2
Propeller
Hamstd 43D51
Part
Fork
Condition
Broken
Location
Nlg Door Act
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT COME DOWN, PILOT MANAGED TO EXTEND GEAR BY PULLING NEGATIVE G, FORK END AND NOSE GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR WAS FOUND BROKEN. ACTUATOR ASSY WAS FOUND TO BE ASSEMBLED DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER ACFT. ACTUATOR AFT ATTACH POINT IS 180 DEGREES OUT CAUSING HYD LINE TO BE LWR CAUSING NOSE GEAR AXLE T CONTACT HYD LINE IN UP POSITION IMPARTING A STRESS ON ACTUATOR FORK END CAUSING IT TO EVENTUALLY BREAK.