Narrative:

A piper PA-44 seminole was performing traffic pattern operations when the left main landing gear sheared off during the takeoff ground roll. The aircraft sustained damage to the left main landing gear; the left propeller ground struck; the left flap was damaged; and other damage was noted to the pitot mast and com 2 antenna. The flight instructor and private pilot under instruction were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the aircraft was operating under visual flight rules under a far part 141 instructional flight. The instructor and student were on a VFR cross country training flight. They conducted the cross-country navigation; and began to enter the traffic pattern to complete the takeoffs and landings required by the lesson. The aircraft entered the pattern at airport ZZZ and made a low approach to a go around procedure on runway xy the first lap around. The aircraft then made left traffic for runway xy and came back around for a short field approach and landing. The approach was stable and nothing abnormal was noted by the flight crew during the final approach and the aircraft touched down normally on the 2nd centerline stripe approximately 500 feet down runway xy and came to a full and complete stop. The aircraft was repositioned on the centerline and brought to a stop to prepare for a short field takeoff with flaps set to 25 degrees. The throttles were at idle; flaps were raised from 40 degrees to 25 degrees as per the procedure; and the cowl flaps were opened while the aircraft was stationary. The aircraft brakes were held firmly; the throttles were set to full power and the instructor and student confirmed full power and that the engine gauges were operating normally. The student released the brakes and the aircraft started to roll when both the student and instructor began to notice the aircraft was shaking violently. At that time; the student was proceeding to abort the takeoff by pulling the throttles to idle as the instructor simultaneously began to pull the mixtures to idle. The student called abort; abort. At this time both the instructor and the student applied the brakes as the aircraft's left wing began to drop and the aircraft started to veer to the right. At this time the aircraft came to a stop as the left main landing gear had collapsed. The student and instructor simultaneously alerted the common traffic advisory frequency of a disabled aircraft on the runway and shut down the aircraft. The aircraft was then exited by the flight crew to inspect aircraft damage. Airport operations then met the flight crew and began to notify the appropriate agencies (FSDO; NTSB; local arff personnel). The flight crew notified dispatch via telephone; the assistant chief flight instructor and base manager; and maintenance. The aircraft was then lifted via a crane to a flatbed trailer and moved to a secluded area in a hanger. The aircraft was preflight by the student and then by the instructor. Close attention was paid to the landing gear with cotter pins; web plates; and struts; gear j-lock; up limit and down limit micro switches; and overall condition of the brake; tired; and gear door for fatigue; uneven wear; or signs of structural strength. Nothing abnormal was noted during the preflight by the student and instructor. As an instructor; I immediately thought it could have been a web plate or attachment bolts coming loose as seen in other accident/incident reports when learning about the landing gear; but have never seen or heard anything to relate to what actually happened. Initial thought when the aircraft was shaking violently was a flat tire; but given the post-incident inspection the tire appeared to be inflated ok so that was ruled out. Maybe less braking action during the aborted takeoff? I'm not sure about this as the aircraft was already at full power

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A private pilot and multi-engine instructor in a PA-44 experienced a landing gear structural failure during takeoff roll.

Narrative: A Piper PA-44 Seminole was performing traffic pattern operations when the left main landing gear sheared off during the takeoff ground roll. The aircraft sustained damage to the left main landing gear; the left propeller ground struck; the left flap was damaged; and other damage was noted to the pitot mast and com 2 antenna. The flight instructor and private pilot under instruction were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the aircraft was operating under visual flight rules under a FAR Part 141 instructional flight. The instructor and student were on a VFR cross country training flight. They conducted the cross-country navigation; and began to enter the traffic pattern to complete the takeoffs and landings required by the lesson. The aircraft entered the pattern at Airport ZZZ and made a low approach to a go around procedure on Runway XY the first lap around. The aircraft then made left traffic for Runway XY and came back around for a short field approach and landing. The approach was stable and nothing abnormal was noted by the flight crew during the final approach and the aircraft touched down normally on the 2nd centerline stripe approximately 500 feet down Runway XY and came to a full and complete stop. The aircraft was repositioned on the centerline and brought to a stop to prepare for a short field takeoff with flaps set to 25 degrees. The throttles were at idle; flaps were raised from 40 degrees to 25 degrees as per the procedure; and the cowl flaps were opened while the aircraft was stationary. The aircraft brakes were held firmly; the throttles were set to full power and the instructor and student confirmed full power and that the engine gauges were operating normally. The student released the brakes and the aircraft started to roll when both the student and instructor began to notice the aircraft was shaking violently. At that time; the student was proceeding to abort the takeoff by pulling the throttles to idle as the instructor simultaneously began to pull the mixtures to idle. The student called ABORT; ABORT. At this time both the instructor and the student applied the brakes as the aircraft's left wing began to drop and the aircraft started to veer to the right. At this time the aircraft came to a stop as the left main landing gear had collapsed. The student and instructor simultaneously alerted the common traffic advisory frequency of a disabled aircraft on the runway and shut down the aircraft. The aircraft was then exited by the flight crew to inspect aircraft damage. Airport operations then met the flight crew and began to notify the appropriate agencies (FSDO; NTSB; local ARFF personnel). The flight crew notified dispatch via telephone; the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor and base manager; and maintenance. The aircraft was then lifted via a crane to a flatbed trailer and moved to a secluded area in a hanger. The aircraft was preflight by the student and then by the instructor. Close attention was paid to the landing gear with cotter pins; web plates; and struts; gear j-lock; up limit and down limit micro switches; and overall condition of the brake; tired; and gear door for fatigue; uneven wear; or signs of structural strength. Nothing abnormal was noted during the preflight by the student and instructor. As an instructor; I immediately thought it could have been a web plate or attachment bolts coming loose as seen in other accident/incident reports when learning about the landing gear; but have never seen or heard anything to relate to what actually happened. Initial thought when the aircraft was shaking violently was a flat tire; but given the post-incident inspection the tire appeared to be inflated ok so that was ruled out. Maybe less braking action during the aborted takeoff? I'm not sure about this as the aircraft was already at full power

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.