Thursday, July 05, 2018

Landing Gear Collapse: Piper PA-28-180, N8314W; accident occurred July 04, 2018 at Thomaston-Upson County Airport (KOPN), Georgia

Photo 1 –View of Airplane at rest (Courtesy of FAA)

Photo 2 – View of Nose Landing Gear Fork (Courtesy of FAA)

Photo 3 – Engine Mount Damage (Courtesy of Insurance Adjuster)



The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N8314W


Location: Thomaston, GA
Accident Number: ERA18LA226
Date & Time: 07/04/2018, 0930 EDT
Registration: N8314W
Aircraft:Piper PA28 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Landing gear collapse
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 4, 2018, about 0930 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8314W, was substantially damaged while landing at Thomaston-Upson County Airport (OPN), Thomaston, Georgia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from Griffin-Spalding County Airport (6A2), Griffin, Georgia, around 0830. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted. After departure, he completed one full stop landing at 6A2, before departing for OPN. While on final approach to runway 12, he configured the airplane for landing and lined up with the centerline of the runway. The main landing gear touched down on the runway numbers, and when the nose landing gear contacted the runway, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted to counteract the turn by applying rudder, however, the airplane continued to the left side of the runway. The right-wing tip touched the pavement, the propeller struck the runway, and the nose landing gear wheel separated as the airplane continued off the runway. The airplane came to rest about 75 ft off the left side of runway in a grassy area.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector after the accident revealed that an engine mount was substantially damaged, and the nose landing gear and right wing incurred minor damage during the accident sequence. The rod that attached the nose wheel to the nose landing gear assembly remained in the nose wheel fork and was bent. However, a nut that secured the nose wheel onto the rod of the nose wheel fork was not located. The runway was searched, and it was still not located.

According to FAA airworthiness records, the airplane was manufactured in 1965 and was purchased by the pilot in November 2017. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180-horsepower engine equipped with a Sensenich fixed pitch propeller. According to airplane maintenance logbooks, the most recent annual inspection was completed on November 10, 2017, at a total time of 2,599.2 hours.

The landing gear wheel attachment part was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. The examination revealed that the part was a 3/8-inch rod threaded on both ends. One end had a nut attached and the other end exhibited bare threads. Further review of the threads revealed that they had been deformed in a manner consistent with the nut having been pulled off the threads.

According to the FAA Inspector, the nose wheel had not been removed since the annual inspection and the airplane had over 250 landings since the last maintenance on the nose gear tire.

According to the pilot, the nut that secures the nose wheel to the rod and fork assembly, that was not located, cannot be seen during a preflight inspection since it was covered by a wheel fairing. 

Student Pilot Information

Certificate: Student
Age:47, Male 
Airplane Rating(s):None 
Seat Occupied:Left 
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present:No 
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/24/2018
Occupational Pilot:No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  75 hours (Total, all aircraft), 75 hours (Total, this make and model), 39.7 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 69.8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 40.5 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2.4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N8314W
Model/Series: PA28 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 28-2487
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 11/10/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2599.2 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A3A
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: OPN, 796 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0935 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 128°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 8000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 30°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 20°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Griffin, GA (6A2)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Thomaston, GA (OPN)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0830 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Thomaston-Upson County (OPN)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 797 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 12
IFR Approach:None 
Runway Length/Width: 6350 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Stop and Go; Traffic Pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 32.957500, -84.267778 (est)

Location: Thomaston, GA
Accident Number: ERA18LA226
Date & Time: 07/04/2018, 0930 EDT
Registration: N8314W
Aircraft: Piper PA28
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 4, 2018, about 0930 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8314W, was substantially damaged while landing at Thomaston-Upson County Airport (OPN), Thomaston, Georgia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from Griffin-Spalding County Airport (6A2), Griffin, Georgia, around 0900. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted. After departure, he completed one full stop landing at 6A2, before departing for OPN. While on final approach to runway 12, he configured the airplane for landing and lined up with the centerline of the runway. The main landing gear touched down on the runway numbers, and when the nose landing gear contacted the runway, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted to counteract the turn by applying rudder, however, the airplane continued to the left side of the runway. The right wing tip touched the pavement, the propeller struck the runway, and the nose landing gear wheel separated as the airplane continued off the runway. The airplane came to rest about 75 ft off the left side of runway in a grassy area.

Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that an engine mount was substantially damaged, and the nose landing gear and right wing incurred minor damage during the accident sequence.

The nose wheel tire and attachment assembly were retained for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N8314W
Model/Series: PA28 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KOPN, 796 ft msl
Observation Time: 0935 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C / 20°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 30°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 8000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Griffin, GA (6A2)
Destination: Thomaston, GA (OPN) 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  32.957500, -84.267778 (est)

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