Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-44-180 near Lawrenceville, GA — 2008-11-01

Final reportERA09LA050
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Date
2008-11-01
Location
Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Airport
KLZU
Aircraft
PIPER PA-44-180
Registration
N2214N
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The failure of the nose gear drag link bolt due to reversed bending fatigue.

NTSB narrative

During touchdown following a practice ILS approach, the nose gear collapsed, resulting in structural damage to the airplane. Examination of the nose gear assembly revealed that the nose gear drag link bolt failed. The bolt was installed on the airplane approximately 441 flight hours prior to the accident, and Piper Service Bulletin (SB) 1156 requires operators to replace the bolt at 500-hour intervals due to a history of fatigue failures. Examination of the failed bolt revealed that it met design specifications for hardness, surface roughness, and microstructure. Further examination indicated that the bolt failed from reversed bending fatigue. The failure mode was atypical of the failure mode that prompted issuance of the SB.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Failure to replace the nose gear drag link bolt per service bulletin recommendations.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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