Narrative:

We departed isp on sunday at our usual time cruising en route to montauk to pick-up the owner of the aircraft, therefore we were considered far part 91. At 5500' with 15 mi visibility and clear skies. We referenced groton, ct, WX (ATIS) as it is the closest reporting station, and also got WX for fok from ATC. We made a normal pattern entry announcing our intentions and a normal visibility approach. We came over the sand dunes off the end of mtp's runway 24 at approximately 200' MSL and 100 KTS (normal altitude, slower airspeed than normal by 10 KTS), reduced power as I rounded out, and we touched down perhaps a little harder than normal, however no noises were audible insofar as pops, bangs, or cracks. As we slowed down the aircraft's left wing rose slowly and the right wing dropped, the plane drifted a little right of centerline. (Please note winds were 290 degree at 10 KTS approximately, and mtp's runway 24 is 3472'). Initially I thought we had a flat right main tire. We taxiied in slowly parked and shutdown and inspected the aircraft only to find the left main gear (scissor) torque link had failed and the left main strut was fully extended. Oddly enough this incident took place just 1 day before the king air was due for its 5 yr mandatory gear inspection. (I joked with the mechanic and told him when the propeller inspection comes due let me know so I can take that day off!) there were no passengers on board, just a crew of 2. In closing I felt a proper preflight was done, however I would not have seen the stress fracture the mechanics claim caused the incident. Perhaps more frequent and advanced technology could spot these problems before they become incidents. I'm sure my landing, while not terrible, was the so called 'straw that broke the camel's back.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX ACFT ON FRY FLT EXPERIENCES HARD LNDG.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED ISP ON SUNDAY AT OUR USUAL TIME CRUISING ENRTE TO MONTAUK TO PICK-UP THE OWNER OF THE ACFT, THEREFORE WE WERE CONSIDERED FAR PART 91. AT 5500' WITH 15 MI VISIBILITY AND CLR SKIES. WE REFERENCED GROTON, CT, WX (ATIS) AS IT IS THE CLOSEST RPTING STATION, AND ALSO GOT WX FOR FOK FROM ATC. WE MADE A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY ANNOUNCING OUR INTENTIONS AND A NORMAL VIS APCH. WE CAME OVER THE SAND DUNES OFF THE END OF MTP'S RWY 24 AT APPROX 200' MSL AND 100 KTS (NORMAL ALT, SLOWER AIRSPD THAN NORMAL BY 10 KTS), REDUCED PWR AS I ROUNDED OUT, AND WE TOUCHED DOWN PERHAPS A LITTLE HARDER THAN NORMAL, HOWEVER NO NOISES WERE AUDIBLE INSOFAR AS POPS, BANGS, OR CRACKS. AS WE SLOWED DOWN THE ACFT'S L WING ROSE SLOWLY AND THE R WING DROPPED, THE PLANE DRIFTED A LITTLE R OF CTRLINE. (PLEASE NOTE WINDS WERE 290 DEG AT 10 KTS APPROX, AND MTP'S RWY 24 IS 3472'). INITIALLY I THOUGHT WE HAD A FLAT R MAIN TIRE. WE TAXIIED IN SLOWLY PARKED AND SHUTDOWN AND INSPECTED THE ACFT ONLY TO FIND THE L MAIN GEAR (SCISSOR) TORQUE LINK HAD FAILED AND THE L MAIN STRUT WAS FULLY EXTENDED. ODDLY ENOUGH THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE JUST 1 DAY BEFORE THE KING AIR WAS DUE FOR ITS 5 YR MANDATORY GEAR INSPECTION. (I JOKED WITH THE MECH AND TOLD HIM WHEN THE PROP INSPECTION COMES DUE LET ME KNOW SO I CAN TAKE THAT DAY OFF!) THERE WERE NO PAXS ON BOARD, JUST A CREW OF 2. IN CLOSING I FELT A PROPER PREFLT WAS DONE, HOWEVER I WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN THE STRESS FRACTURE THE MECHS CLAIM CAUSED THE INCIDENT. PERHAPS MORE FREQUENT AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY COULD SPOT THESE PROBS BEFORE THEY BECOME INCIDENTS. I'M SURE MY LNDG, WHILE NOT TERRIBLE, WAS THE SO CALLED 'STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.