Piper PA-28R-200 N5057S accident near Boulder City, Nevada

Probable cause

The installation of an improper right main landing gear door rod-end bolt, which resulted in the right main landing gear not extending during landing.

NTSB analysis

During an approach to the airport, the right main landing gear would not extend. The pilot cycled the landing gear and made several abrupt, high-G maneuvers to try and free the right main landing gear from its retracted position. Despite his actions, the right main landing gear would not extend. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and right wing.

During the postaccident examination of the airplane, the right main landing gear wheel well exhibited mechanical damage consistent with contact from the threaded end of the right gear door rod-end bolt. The right main landing gear door rod-end bolt had about 4 additional threads than the bolt used on the left main landing gear. The bolt was removed, and its length was 1-4/25 inch, which was about 1/8 inch longer than the correctly installed bolt, which measured 1-1/32 inch. It is likely that during the accident flight, the right main landing gear could not fully extend due to the right gear door rod-end bolt positioning itself on the inside of the landing gear wheel well, preventing the landing gear from extending.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR22LA040 for the full record.