FLORENCE, SC, USA
N268NA
PIPER PA-44-180
THE LEFT MAIN LDG GEAR COLLAPSED DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, FOLLOWING A TOUCH & GO LDG. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY VEERED INTO A SNOWBANK. POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MLG TRUSS BRACKET ASSY HAD PULLED LOOSE FROM THE ACFT STRUCTURE AND THAT TWO OF THE LOWER MOUNTING BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE CORRESPONDING BOLT HOLES IN THE BRACKET AND IN THE ACFT STRUCTURE EXHIBITED NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. EXAM OF THE ACFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED NO ENTRIES WITH REGARD TO ANY WORK PERFORMED ON THE TRUSS BRACKET ASSY. THE CFI RPTD THAT SHE AND HER STUDENT HAD FELT A 'BUMP' FROM THE LEFT GEAR WHILE LANDING AT ANOTHER ARPT EARLIER THAT EVENING. SHE EXAMINED THE GEAR PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE ARPT, BUT FOUND NOTHING 'UNUSUAL', EXCEPT THAT THE ACFT SEEMED LOWER ON THE LEFT SIDE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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