Piper PA-38-112, G-BNVD, 9 December 2006
Piper PA-38-112, G-BNVD
Summary:
The aircraft was being flown by the student on a dual cross country flight. The landing was firm, but not heavy, and with no bounce. Whilst taxiing along the runway following the completion of the landing roll it was noticed that the left wing appeared to be lower than the right which was initially attributed to the crosswind. The aircraft was taxied, at walking speed, off the runway and onto the taxiway when suddenly the left main landing gear detached from the wing and the aircraft stopped with the left wing tip touching the ground. Examination of the detached left main landing gear indicated that one of the three bolts that attach the landing gear to the aircraft, was missing. The other two bolts were attached to the landing gear with locking wire and exhibited very good evidence of having been pulled out of their barrel nuts as the landing gear was in the process of detaching from the aircraft. A search of the runway located the missing bolt, which, upon examination showed that it had unscrewed itself and dropped out of its barrel nut. There was no wire locking or lock washer and none were specified in the aircraft’s Maintenance Manual.
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