Summary
On February 02, 2020, a Piper PA28RT (N8320H) was involved in an incident near Fort Myers, FL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The fracture of the right main landing gear torque link bolt on landing, which resulted in the landing gear assembly rotating freely, the subsequent loss of directional control, and the landing gear collapsing.
At the conclusion of an uneventful flight, the commercial pilot approached the runway for landing. During touchdown, the airplane veered right and the left wing contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. During the accident sequence the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear wheel assembly was free to rotate about the strut, and the bolt securing the torque link had fractured and had a corroded appearance. The landing gear and separated bolt were not examined in further detail.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA20CA103. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8320H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The fracture of the right main landing gear torque link bolt on landing, which resulted in the landing gear assembly rotating freely, the subsequent loss of directional control, and the landing gear collapsing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
At the conclusion of an uneventful flight, the commercial pilot approached the runway for landing. During touchdown, the airplane veered right and the left wing contacted the runway before the airplane came to rest. During the accident sequence the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear wheel assembly was free to rotate about the strut, and the bolt securing the torque link had fractured and had a corroded appearance. The landing gear and separated bolt were not examined in further detail.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA20CA103