Pilot Debrief

Piper PA31 near Leesburg, FL — 2019-03-08

Final reportERA19LA125
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Date
2019-03-08
Location
Leesburg, FL, USA
Airport
LEE
Aircraft
Piper PA31
Registration
N45MJ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Taxi

Probable cause

Maintenance personnel’s improper rigging of the main landing gear actuators, which resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while his airplane was undergoing an annual inspection, maintenance personnel suggested that an inner landing gear door kit be installed. After the door kit installation was completed, numerous test flights were conducted. Rigging adjustments were made after each flight, and while taxiing back to the ramp following the last flight, the right landing gear collapsed. A postaccident extension and retraction test were performed using a hydraulic test unit. Both normal and emergency (hand pump) landing gear extension and retraction tests were performed. When checking the actuator rigging, both left and right main landing gear actuators did not drive the main gear into a locked position. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the landing gear system were observed, thus it is likely that the rigging condition resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Properly assess landing gear actuator rigging before test flights.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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