Piper PA-23 N1460P accident near Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The failure of the nose landing gear lower drag link for reasons that could not be determined based on available information, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear.

NTSB analysis

The instructional flight included numerous landing gear extension and retraction cycles. During the flight, the nose landing gear indication showed that the gear was in the down and locked position but then indicated that the gear was in the unsafe position. The flight instructor performed several touch-and-go landings to “lightly move” the nosewheel into the down-and-locked position. According to the flight instructor, the contact with the runway pavement was “firm enough” to indicate that the nose landing gear was down and locked. After touching down on the accident landing, the airplane began yawing to the right with an “unusual noise.” The application of left brake prevented the airplane from leaving the runway pavement; however, the nose landing gear collapsed during the rollout.

The substantial airframe damage precluded functional testing of the nose landing gear. Visual examination revealed that the nose landing gear lower drag link was fractured. Metallurgical examination revealed the presence of fatigue cracking in the wrought material and a lack of fusion in the welded areas.

Although postaccident examination of the actuator arm determined that it was fully extended at the time the nosegear collapsed, it is likely that the nose gear was not fully extended before landing. The lack of full extension compromised the nosewheel steering system and affected directional control during the rollout.

The subsequent failure of the landing gear link resulted in the collapse of the nose gear. The extent to which the fatigue and lack of fusion had compromised the structural integrity of the link before the accident flight could not be determined from the available information.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21LA147 for the full record.