The left main landing gear collapsed during landing on a piper PA28-201R due to the lack of override...

Attributes
ACN	364238
Time
Date	199703
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vay
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	364238
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed 'flying west' to south jersey regional (1 mi apart) left gear down because hop was so short. Entered right downwind for 7MY and landed on runway 26. On rollout left gear collapsed, without warning. Maintained control and guided aircraft off runway onto grass. Mechanic is determining what caused 1 gear (left main) to collapse. There was 3 green indicated on landing and yes, I am sure -- I do gump out loud prior to landing. Damage to plane according to ai is minor and injuries are none. I don't know what could have been done differently, except to fly only fixed gear aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the cause of the left gear collapse was a lack of tension of the down lock override spring. Since the other gear down lock springs were very weak due to their age, they have all been replaced as were the electric motor and actuator arm that were damaged during the gear collapse. He also stated that he will not use the practice in the future of leaving the gear in the override position which prevents it from automatically dropping when the power is brought back for landing. He found that the gear more quickly and firmly drops in place when the override is not locked out!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE L MAIN LNDG GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LNDG ON A PIPER PA28-201R DUE TO THE LACK OF OVERRIDE SPRING TENSION TO POSITIVELY LOCK THE GEAR STRUT IN THE OVERLOCK POS. ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS CAUSED WHEN THE ACFT EXITED THE RWY INTO THE GRASS.

Narrative: DEPARTED 'FLYING W' TO SOUTH JERSEY REGIONAL (1 MI APART) LEFT GEAR DOWN BECAUSE HOP WAS SO SHORT. ENTERED R DOWNWIND FOR 7MY AND LANDED ON RWY 26. ON ROLLOUT L GEAR COLLAPSED, WITHOUT WARNING. MAINTAINED CTL AND GUIDED ACFT OFF RWY ONTO GRASS. MECH IS DETERMINING WHAT CAUSED 1 GEAR (L MAIN) TO COLLAPSE. THERE WAS 3 GREEN INDICATED ON LNDG AND YES, I AM SURE -- I DO GUMP OUT LOUD PRIOR TO LNDG. DAMAGE TO PLANE ACCORDING TO AI IS MINOR AND INJURIES ARE NONE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY, EXCEPT TO FLY ONLY FIXED GEAR ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE L GEAR COLLAPSE WAS A LACK OF TENSION OF THE DOWN LOCK OVERRIDE SPRING. SINCE THE OTHER GEAR DOWN LOCK SPRINGS WERE VERY WEAK DUE TO THEIR AGE, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AS WERE THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND ACTUATOR ARM THAT WERE DAMAGED DURING THE GEAR COLLAPSE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WILL NOT USE THE PRACTICE IN THE FUTURE OF LEAVING THE GEAR IN THE OVERRIDE POS WHICH PREVENTS IT FROM AUTOMATICALLY DROPPING WHEN THE PWR IS BROUGHT BACK FOR LNDG. HE FOUND THAT THE GEAR MORE QUICKLY AND FIRMLY DROPS IN PLACE WHEN THE OVERRIDE IS NOT LOCKED OUT!

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.

The left main landing gear collapsed during landing on a piper PA28-201R due to the lack of override spring tension to positively lock the gear strut in the overlock position. Only minor damage to the aircraft was caused when the aircraft exited the runway into the grass.