<< >> NASA ASRS Report 471691, April 2000

Piper seneca, PA34, nosewheel collapsed during landing roll due to the gear retraction chain installed backwards and too tight.

Attributes
ACN	471691
Time
Date	200004
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtp.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	PA-34-200 Seneca I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	471691
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Landing at montauk airport's runway 24, main mounts touched down, nose followed and immediately collapsed. Propellers struck and stopped/dragged. Airplane skidded approximately 1000 ft. Airplane rested on left side of runway. Prior to landing, gear was lowered below 130 IAS (vle). Gear checked (3 green, nose in mirror) twice. Once at 180 KTS, once at final. FAA inspector says he will focus the investigation towards a mechanical failure. On apr/tue/00, the insurance's mechanic inspected the aircraft. The owner passed that the chin linkage was installed backwards and it was too tight resulting in the linkage to 'snap.' I believe this scenario to be believable. If true, or not, I recommend pilots should re-learn how tight gear linkages should be and how proper installation looks on preflight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER SENECA, PA34, NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED DURING LNDG ROLL DUE TO THE GEAR RETRACTION CHAIN INSTALLED BACKWARDS AND TOO TIGHT.

Narrative: LNDG AT MONTAUK ARPT'S RWY 24, MAIN MOUNTS TOUCHED DOWN, NOSE FOLLOWED AND IMMEDIATELY COLLAPSED. PROPS STRUCK AND STOPPED/DRAGGED. AIRPLANE SKIDDED APPROX 1000 FT. AIRPLANE RESTED ON L SIDE OF RWY. PRIOR TO LNDG, GEAR WAS LOWERED BELOW 130 IAS (VLE). GEAR CHKED (3 GREEN, NOSE IN MIRROR) TWICE. ONCE AT 180 KTS, ONCE AT FINAL. FAA INSPECTOR SAYS HE WILL FOCUS THE INVESTIGATION TOWARDS A MECHANICAL FAILURE. ON APR/TUE/00, THE INSURANCE'S MECH INSPECTED THE ACFT. THE OWNER PASSED THAT THE CHIN LINKAGE WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS AND IT WAS TOO TIGHT RESULTING IN THE LINKAGE TO 'SNAP.' I BELIEVE THIS SCENARIO TO BE BELIEVABLE. IF TRUE, OR NOT, I RECOMMEND PLTS SHOULD RE-LEARN HOW TIGHT GEAR LINKAGES SHOULD BE AND HOW PROPER INSTALLATION LOOKS ON PREFLT.

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.