Piper PA-31-350 N114SA

Summary

On 29 July 2001 at about 15:15 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N114SA was involved in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 July 2001 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Junction, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Walker Field (GJT)

Coordinates

39.3447, -108.6039

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N114SA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salt Lake City → Grand Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01LA132

Nobody was injured.

the failure of the nose landing gear right drag brace (link assembly) due to fatigue.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on final approach the pilot moved the landing gear lever to the extended position, heard the normal sounds of the gear extending and noted that the three green landing gear position lights were illuminated. However, when he looked at the nose landing gear through the mirror on the left engine cowling, he noted that the nose gear was hanging at a 45-degree angle. The pilot attempted to cycle the gear, and the nose landing gear did not move. The pilot executed a go-around. The pilot attempted to use the emergency gear extension procedure, contacted various maintenance facilities via aircraft radio, and then performed a low fly-by of the air traffic control tower (ATCT). The ATCT controllers were able to see that the main landing gear appeared to be down and locked; however, the nose landing gear was hanging at a 45-degree angle. During the ensuing landing, the nose gear collapsed, and the pilot brought the airplane to a stop on the runway. Examination revealed that the airplane's nose landing gear right drag brace (link assembly) was separated. The NTSB examined the fracture surfaces and observed a banding pattern on both fracture surfaces, consistent with fatigue. Ratchet marks indicated that the fatigue initiated from machining marks located in the blend radius between the narrow edge of one of the idler link lugs and the adjacent surface of the link.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.